Lusus Naturae
by fireflame789
Summary: Evolution has always been thought of as progress. This is how we have entire cities- kingdoms full of people. Evolution has always been enough for us. But what if it hasn't? What if we need another jump start? With a little science and the knowledge of Grimm, this should progress human evolution, right? Takes place during Volume 1. T because... you'll figure it out.
1. Chapter 1: Farayan Shen

**AN: Hello, and welcome to the Work in Progress that is this story. I'm gonna be honest, I took a bit too much inspiration from Stranger Things and Lusus Naturae- the song by Jeff Williams, not, you get it.**

 **Disclaimer: I own next to nothing of the actual stuff here. Well, maybe like 10% of it, but the rest goes to RT.**

 **Thing #2: This is going to take place right after Volume 1, episode 10. So right after Weiss talks to Port about leadership. It won't come into play just yet, but probably in the next chapter.**

Chapter 1:

A woman walked down a brightly lit hallway, the florescent lights humming above her as she strolled towards a metal vault-like door at the end of the hall, every step deliberate as if she planned where she would plant her feet and when. In her hands was a metal tray with a blue cake slice placed on a plate, a plain metal fork and knife right next to it. A white lab-coat billowed behind her as she reached the solid reinforced door. The woman placed her hand on a small fingerprint scanner on her left, waiting a couple of seconds before the door opened with a sealed _hiss_ , revealing their greatest experiment to date.

"Hello, Farayan," the woman greeted politely as she held the cake forward. Inside the door was a small room about the same size as a hospital room with just the same feeling of discontent lingering. The majority of the space was taken up by a plain white bed pushed up against the far, plain white wall near a nightstand with an average toilet sitting in the opposite corner, along with a couple of books tossed casually along the white carpeted floor.

And sitting on the bed was a young teenage boy with jet black hair, cut short nearly to his scalp, and bright, sea blue eyes. A small set of light gray clothes covered the boy's slender but surprisingly strong physique. He looked up from the book he was reading, eyeing the cake with a hint of greediness. "Happy thirteenth birthday."

* * *

I should probably start from the beginning.

My name's Farayan Shen. Age? I'm actually not really sure. My best bet is probably ten and 13 Haircuts. Haven't seen a calendar since 13 Haircuts ago, and the stuff they give me isn't really helping me find out. And the stuff they haven't given me also doesn't help, like not going outside in… whenever.

So, what am I doing here? Honestly: I have no idea. But I know it's still better than what would've happened to me if these guys didn't take me in. Unless I want to face a terrible mom, a drunk dad, or even the amazingly disturbing foster home I was sent to, I'm sticking here.

The only thing they told me is that I was going to do "revolutionary work that could change human nature as we know it". And who doesn't want to do that? Make the world better than before, plus get out of all the stinking stuff I had outside of the lab- I couldn't have signed my name faster than they could give me the form.

So, here I am. Day one, they hooked me up to this machine to find out everything personal they needed to know. Once the scientists did that, it was a lot more… weird. The people gave me one of those bags on a line you'd find in a hospital show (I think it's called an IV bag)? But it wasn't filled with the clear thing or blood- well, not really regular blood, if you could call blood regular. When they gave it to me, it felt… cold, but warm. And it felt sort of unclean, and it looked the same way: regular blood red but a shade darker and with small black dots inside them. From Haircut 1 to 3, it was always a small needle of the liquid. Then, after that, it was an IV bag. And I still couldn't tell you when or how long I had between the sessions. But every time, maybe a day after every injection, they would always take some blood out of me for a sample to measure… whatever they were trying to find.

While I was on that, the scientists tested me. Dr. Treuse (I'd begin to memorize everybody's names) would give me test after test- strength, speed, sight, hearing, school tests; you name it. They must've been mad because after Haircut number 4 they kept increasing how often they came. But, after Haircut 10, I think they got what they wanted. Dr. Treuse stopped giving me my daily (or was it weekly?) tests like running around a track for hours (or minutes, I couldn't tell) and instead gave me a lot more time between them, judging from how my muscles never ached anymore.

Today, or night, I had another time to relax, so I curled up into a small ball and read another textbook these guys wanted to cram down my throat. How come even when you're trying to do revolutionary work, Algebra's still the most important thing in the world to some people?

This time, though, something different happened. Which… doesn't. For 13 Haircuts, they haven't sprung anything new on me besides the next textbook or next test. But Dr. Treuse opened my door today, showing her bright green hair and calculating eyes in all her glory. And another thing new: she was smiling. Dr. Treuse never did that; it was always stoic looks or small looks of pride, but no smiles.

"Hello, Farayan," Dr. Treuse greeted politely. In her arms was- my mouth watered- cake. I hadn't had any at all from the time when I was in here. "Happy thirteenth birthday."

The cake disappeared from my eyes as I stared at Dr. Treuse in horror. "Isn't… isn't it my eleventh?" A shake of her head gave me all the information I needed before I hugged my knees close to my chest.

I lost two years of my life. Two birthday parties I wouldn't have. And they still keep testing, so I haven't done anything but waste the last two years.

The only thing I have is now, I know the date- August 12, my birthday. And yet, knowing that makes it sadder. I should be at school now. I should be making friends and hanging out with them after classes. I should've been groaning about the end of summer. Instead, I got this- no friends, no teachers, no school, and no summer that I could make of.

Dr. Treuse set the cake on the nightstand before shutting the door behind her wordlessly. I knew what would happen next. They'd use the cameras I saw on Haircut 8 to watch my response- either eat it or don't. Then, the small chip they put in my arm on Haircut 1 to monitor blood pressure, breathing, and every other medical term out there. My response? Flipping off the camera and leaving the cake there as I sulked in the corner.

Two years of my life lost. And they had the nerve to try and celebrate my thirteenth birthday like it never happened.

And that was also the day I realized what I was there for.

Soon after the whole cake incident, another doctor, Griswald if memory serves, did the check up on me before taking the cake away. Before the door could shut behind him, though, a book I'd planted wedged the door open just a crack. And when I knew no one would check up in another couple of… hours, probably, my fingers were able to peel the door open enough for my slender body to fit through. And just like that, I was in the halls.

As soon as my foot touched the floor, a small sense of elation sprung in my heart, another step closer to freedom. But, when I reached the end of the hall, a 'T' formed, splitting into two paths. I had no idea which one to take, so I stood there for a moment too long. Footsteps approached from the left hall, forcing me to duck into a door that, fortunately, led to a closet full of cleaning supplies. Forcing the gag back down my throat, the footsteps made the hall rumble with noise, and then I could hear wheels squeaking against the floor as metal rattled against metal.

"Please, don't make me," a small voice exclaimed from outside where the footfalls came from. The voice was chillingly familiar as I opened the door a crack, peering through the small slit. What I saw made me gag harder than the cleaning supplies' aroma.

Four men in soldier white uniforms pushed a large cart with metal bars like a dog cage. Three other scientists, one with a tablet Scroll, stood off to the side as they looked into the cage with detached interest as if they were dissecting nothing more than a frog. Inside the cage was what scared me. A small Grimm creature thrashed around in its jail, slamming over and over into the bars as it tried to escape. The features it had were almost unrecognizable of a regular Grimm- wings of a Nevermore strapped onto the body of a Beowolf. Instead of a Beowolf or even a Nevermore's head was an almost human-like face, complete with red eyes, a bony skull, and fur forming a mop of black for hair. That's all there was, though, as there was no mouth, no nose, and a set of Goliath tusks protruding out from its chin.

"Please, no more," the same voice whimpered. I clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle a scream as I realized where the voice came from. "No more," the Grimm shouted, slamming a paw against the sides of the cage. In that instant, I knew who's voice I was hearing: mine.

That's why they needed my blood. They gave it to that… that _thing_ for some god damn science experiment. I stared at my arm, looking at the small scabbed dot where the needles would always be put in. And that's probably what they were putting in me. That Grimm's blood.

" _This was their idea of a revolution,_ " I thought in disgust. The wheels squeaked by as the horrifying shrieks of the Grimm died off. As soon as I felt safe, I ran. I ran down the halls where they came from, not caring if someone saw me. All I needed was to get out of here right now. My bare feet pounded on the floor as the noise echoed through the empty halls, lasting almost a minute before someone came bolting out through a side room. The scientist, with his lab coat still stained with blue and black goo, slammed a bright red button that lined the halls at regular intervals. Along with it, he shouted into a small mic built into the wall, "Code Red, Code Red! Subject One has escaped." Then, he turned to me, eyes widening even further behind a set of thick square glasses. "Farayan? How did you get out?" he asked in shock.

I gave no reply while sprinting by him, looking around frantically for a sign that said 'exit'. "Code Omega," the scientist started yelling again, "Subject One and Two have escaped."

Alarms started blaring over my head as the halls were painted in red light. My already beating heart grew louder and louder until it drowned out the alarms. Still, nothing labeled as an exit. As I kept searching, gunshots rang out from behind me, echoing down the halls like at any time they would be aimed at me. Needless to say, I ran a lot faster after that.

Every door I pushed on either led to another closet, a locked door, or more scientists scurrying around to clean up various experiments. There was one door at the end of the hall; it felt like it was calling to me so much, I could almost taste the fresh air. But again- locked. "Please," I yelled at nothing, tugging as hard as I could against the handle and then slamming my shoulder again and again into the door. The door didn't even jostle in the slightest.

Another gunshot rang out, this time at the very end of the hallway. I looked back in horror as a soldier ran around the corner, a wild look in his eyes. He looked back at a looming shadow with his gun up, emptying the last of his clip into the thing before it ended in a horrifying _click, click_ of an empty gun. I saw his eyes go wide right before the deformed Grimm pounced on him, dragging the poor man back as he clawed the floor, screaming before he was quickly silenced.

I collapsed against the door, bile trying to push itself up my throat, as the shadow came back around the corner. The Grimm slowly stalked towards me, its humane-like skull caked with blood and its wings took up almost the entire hallway. With a gut-wrenching realization, I noticed that a mouth now formed on its face while it chattered and gnashed its razor-sharp teeth together, almost like it was trying to form words. The Grimm stalked closer and closer until it loomed over me, its face inches away from mine. I could see every small detail etched in its head- the deep sockets housing violet eyes, its open mouth now revealing a sharp narrow tongue, to even the stench of blood mixed with its hot breath.

It opened and closed its mouth a few more times as I watched in horrified fascination, petrified as realization dawned on me; I had no escape. This is where I die. And in an extreme twist, the Grimm opened its mouth again, this time to speak with its mouth following its vocal chords in sync, "Are you Farayan?"

It took a second for me to know what it was saying. "W-what?" I stuttered, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up stiffer than my knees.

The beast leaned in a bit closer as its eyes examined me, eyeing every little detail about me in a matter of seconds. "You're Farayan, aren't you?" it asked in my voice.

"W-why do you want to know?" I shot back with my voice shaking as much as my body.

The Grimm tilted his head, almost as if considering my question. "Well," it replied, "You have what I need. If you give it to me, I'll let you live. The others said they weren't Farayan, so I killed them." It said, 'killed them' so matter-of-factly, like he only said, " _They weren't Farayan, so I ignored them_."

"I-I… I'm Farayan," I avowed. When it raised a paw menacingly, I shrieked, putting my hands up in front of my face as I cowered away. "Please, I swear," I exclaimed.

The Grimm lowered its paw as it eyed me with a new interest. "You're Farayan," it mused. If its face wasn't so horrifyingly Grimm-like, I would've mistaken it for a human's.

"Y-Yes, I'm Farayan," I confirmed, "What do you need?" Before it answered, I tucked my head between my legs and added, "Please, I just wanted to live."

"Okay," my voice chirped from in front of me, "All I want," I looked up at its dark face. It grinned menacingly, not losing a hair of its disturbing and horrifying look. The Grimm's eyes seemed to change colors in front of my eyes, from red to violet, from violet to pitch black, until it eventually settled on blue. "All I want," it repeated, the chattering of its teeth finally stopping as it mouthed the words without a delay, "Is your life."

My eyes widened until they took up my entire face with my mouth opening to a shrill scream just as the Grimm pounced, biting into my bicep. My world turned red before fading to black, my last thought being, " _Never trust the Grimm_."

 **AN: Yeah, writing in first-person isn't really my style. Hello, it's Fireflame. Well, here's the story. Grimm-infused boy that's gonna be on the run. I'm gonna be honest, I really planned for the last 4 chapters, not the first few. And if any of you read Wilting Rose, there should be a few familiar faces. Not many besides what RoosterTeeth has already shown us, but one or two.**

 **Anyways, there's chapter one of this story! Stick around, it's gonna get good.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	2. Chapter 2: Out of the Woods

**AN: Hey guys, Fireflame here. Welcome back and thank you for sticking with this story. I gotta say, I think I'm gonna continue this story and probably let Polar Opposites sit back for a little while longer. I just have too much insight on where this will go and not the other story. So, yeah. Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Oh wait, before that, I have a question for you guys to think about until the end of the story. "Who's the villain in all of this?" By the end of the story, the answer I hope's going to change at least 3 times.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. But if it's offered to me, I don't see why I shouldn't have the role. That's sarcasm- I should be the voice actor for Jaune. Duh.**

Chapter 2: Out of the Woods

In the middle of a wintery forest, somewhere in Western Atlas, Farayan was laying in the middle of the snowy clearing, eyes shut tight as his even breathing created a mist with each exhale. Eventually, Farayan was brought back to the world of the living as he groaned, his head pounding as if someone was banging a gong in the center of his brain. He writhed around in pain, clutching his skull while groaning for a few minutes as the pain slowly subsided.

When the pounding went away, his memories came back from the past day or so. And that was twice as disturbing and agonizing as his headache. Farayan scrambled to his feet, turning 'round and 'round as his eyes darted around the circle of trees with fear swimming in his eyes. "How am I alive?" Farayan questioned aloud. His ears were perked as Farayan tried to listen over the soft whistling wind for anything.

Nothing. Farayan couldn't hear anything besides an occasional whistling as the wind passed through the trees. With a sigh of relief, he started examining himself for anything out of place. Then, Farayan's eyes laid on his arm. The same one that the Grimm from the lab turned into a chew toy. With a look of amazement, Farayan held his arm up in the sunlight shining from the star high overhead, rotating it over and over again in disbelief. "What the hell?" Farayan muttered as he kept examining his limb. He noticed a slight discoloration on his bicep, the skin a couple shades too pale for it to be natural, in the same spot where the Grimm had bitten down.

" _Is this what they did to me?_ " Farayan wondered. He was torn between utter amazement and horror as he prodded the flesh experimentally. " _What_ did _they do to me?_ " he pondered. Only then did he realize where he was. Rather, he realized what should've been happening to him. With his jaw slack as his brain imploded from craziness, Farayan scooped up a handful of snow and let it run through his fingers. Nothing. " _So cold doesn't affect me,_ " Farayan mused, picking up another handful of snow experimentally. " _I can apparently regrow a limb from scratch or something as well. Sure, that's not the craziest thing yet._ " He could only feel the wetness of the snow, not the chill in his fingers, or feet that should've been turning blue, or even his entire body which was covered by the lab's flimsy shirt and pants. Farayan could barely even call it a shirt since the entire right side had been mangled as if he decided to fight a bear with his fists (which wasn't too far from the truth).

Farayan's breaths quickened and shallowed, and his chest heaved rapidly as his brain tried to process… whatever was happening to him. A low howling from far away snapped Farayan out of his trance. Looking around in with a pounding heart, his head spun and twirled to try and find any sense of where he was. Better yet, he needed to know how to get back to a city or town or anything away from this place. As he continued to peer through the dense forest, however, a horrible but intoxicating stench waved in from his right.

Farayan wrinkled his nose, disgusted, but walked towards it nonetheless. Anything that unnatural and disgusting had to be man-made, Farayan thought. As he jogged through the thick foliage, his mind lingered onto things he never wanted to go to.

" _You're out of that place. Good for you- now what?_ "

" _Shut up_ ," Farayan snapped at himself, " _Anywhere's better than there._ "

" _You sure about that?_ " the voice nagged, " _I mean, you were safer with Dr. Treuse._ "

" _The one that lied to us?_ " Farayan shot back with a scowl, " _Yeah, like I'd go back now. Anyway, now that I'm out-._ "

" _Where will you go?_ " the voice had to question, " _Once you get back to wherever we're going, then what?_ "

" _I'll just-,_ " Farayan started and stopped, freezing in his tracks as he contemplated.

" _Where?_ " the seemingly logical side of his brain asked, " _You're not going back home, even if we can call it that._ "

" _I'll start a new life then,_ " Farayan claimed as he resumed trudging through the snowy forest, following the stench before him.

" _Like that's happening. How are you going to be around people without knowing what you can do?_ "

" _Do you ever shut up?_ " Farayan snapped with a scowl.

" _Sorry, but I'm a part of you,_ " the voice denied, " _And what if those people try and hunt you down again? You can't stay in… we're still in Atlas, right?_ "

" _Then… we- I'll move,_ " Farayan thought as he pushed away a snow-covered branch away from his face.

" _Without a ticket, passport, money, or even an identity,_ " the voice sassed.

" _Sneak onto a Bullhead,_ " Farayan answered.

" _That's your best plan- sneak onto an Atlas Bullhead and then… hope for the best?_ "

"Look, you have a better idea?" Farayan snapped at the wind. Realizing his mistake, Farayan shook his head in annoyance. "Great, I'm going insane now," he muttered as he trudged on.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

In Vale, Team RWBY's day was just getting started with Weiss trying to stretch awake. As she did, though, she remembered with a jolt about what Ruby did to get her up last time. "I'm up," she exclaimed, scrambling out of bed. "I'm up!"

Next to her, Ruby lowered her whistle, slightly disappointed. "Fine," she conceded while hopping off Weiss's bunk. She made her way back to her chuckling friends that were standing near the door.

"Imbecile," Weiss muttered under her breath and pushed herself up. She untangled a few hairs with a hand running through them. "There are things called schedules," she muttered, too low for Ruby to hear.

"And there are things called 'early risers'," Blake countered.

The white-haired girl looked at Blake in astonishment. "How did you…?" she started.

"Gifts," Blake quipped as she turned around, heading out the door. Yang followed soon behind, a sly grin on her face.

Weiss rolled her eyes as she rummaged around in their closet before she was made aware of another presence. "Ruby," she called out.

"Yep?" Ruby replied.

"What are you still doing here?" Weiss asked, continuing her search.

Ruby went into the bathroom, shouting to the other room, "I'm your partner- we stick together." Then, as a side note, she added in embarrassment, "Also, I forgot to brush my teeth."

Weiss let out a groan of frustration as she threw on one of her uniforms. "How are you this unorganized?" she exclaimed.

"There's a reason I get up early," Ruby yelled through her mouthful of toothpaste. She came out of the bathroom with her Scroll in hand, her eyes fixated on the news broadcast flashing onscreen.

" _In other news, a research lab in Atlas was attacked late last night,_ " the reporter said, " _Ten scientists have lost their lives while another three were injured. Thankfully, the Atlesian military was there to minimize damages before it got out of hand._ "

Weiss looked up from putting on her jacket and made her way over to Ruby's side, peering over Ruby's shoulder at the newsfeed. " _None of their experiments were tampered with, though,_ " the woman continued as a picture of a lab appeared onscreen. Part of the side had a massive hole in it while a dozen robotic soldiers lined the perimeter. " _While many have speculated about a possible attack by malevolent sources, the government officials and witnesses have assured us that the attack was done by rogue Grimm. Nonetheless, the damages have been severe enough as-._ "

Ruby turned off her Scroll as she finished brushing. Weiss snapped out of fixation with a shake of her head as she straightened out her jacket. "That's gonna go well with breakfast," Ruby joked as she rinsed out her mouth.

Weiss let out a huff before turning back to head out. "Right," she drawled, closing the door behind her.

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Farayan finally got out of the forest- in one piece, no less. He broke through the last of the trees with a sigh of relief. With a deep breath, Farayan tried to savor the moment before the wave of nausea hit him. The stench from the city was almost unbearable from the clean air from the forest. Even the lab wasn't this bad, with its overpowering scent of bleach and cleaning supplies.

Farayan choked back his stomach's contents as he pushed himself forward, pinching his nose as he walked towards the city. He tried his best to brush off the snow and grime off his clothes while making his way, looking over his shoulder every few seconds like something was going to pop out of the forest at any moment. He didn't know why, but it felt like there was a second presence there, watching him.

" _Or that could just be my paranoia,_ " Farayan thought grimly. Before he knew it, his bare feet touched asphalt, and he looked up at the dozens of buildings surrounding him. Everything felt… foreign, even for an Atlesian city. Usually, most were just regular copies of the same layout- large skyscrapers and CCT Towers along with small businesses dotting the land while most of the homes were either at the tops of penthouses or on the outskirts of the city. But this one was different. There were too many skyscrapers, too many new buildings popping up with too many names that were unfamiliar to Farayan. " _Schnee Dust?_ " Farayan wondered as he stared at the towering building next to him, " _Wasn't that a small company a few years back?_ "

Finally, Farayan decided to try and ask for some help. "Excuse me," Farayan called out to a random pedestrian. The woman had white hair in a formal wear- military or student, he didn't know (but frankly, they were essentially the same thing in Atlas). "Which city is this?" he asked, "My family and I are traveling through, and I-."

The woman cut off Farayan's rambling with a roll of her eyes. "You're in Atlas Academy," she cut in, "Dust, have you not learned anything about Atlas?"

Farayan chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, barely remember anything from school," he apologized, "Do you know how to get to Alsuis?"

The woman narrowed her eyes at the boy. "Where?" she asked.

"Alsuis," Farayan repeated.

"You mean Mantle?" she clarified with an amused expression, "No one's used that name in years."

Shocked, Farayan took a deep breath before replying, "Yeah, sorry. Where's Mantle?"

This time, the woman's amused expression turned into one of confusion with a hint of interest. "A couple of miles south of here," she answered, pointing in the direction, "Why are you going there, anyway? There's nothing there but slums." The woman then did a double-take at Farayan's choice of clothes. "And how are you not freezing?" she exclaimed.

Farayan stepped back, unconsciously looking down at his clothes. He shrugged. "I don't really feel the cold," he guessed.

The white-haired girl raised an eyebrow at him. "Alright," she drawled, "Well, best of luck to you," with a small knowing smirk, she added, "and your family." She gave Farayan a curt nod before walking away, hands clasped behind her back.

A bit jumpy, Farayan called out a quick "Thanks!" before turning around himself, eyes darting around the unfamiliar setting. With a quick glance over his shoulder, Farayan started down the street again, his mind spinning around and around while more people started to stare at the teen.

Instinctively, he ducked into a nearby alley, trying to be as nonchalant as possible. Farayan tried to shake off the feeling of being watched as he pulled on the hem of his ruined shirt, looking at the discarded bags in the alley. "I'm gonna have to change this," he muttered to himself, "Can't _look_ like I just escaped from a mental institution." Thank god for wasteful shop owners, since he could almost find an entire, usable set of clothes from their so-called "waste". In no time at all, he was able to get out of his ragged shirt and into a decent ice-blue hoodie that was a size too large and a pair of black pants, along with a pair of bright blue hiking shoes. Looking down at his feet, he had to admit with a small chuckle, there was a reason they were thrown in the garbage.

Farayan stepped out of the alley, examining his new clothes in interest. While he rummaged through one of the pockets, though, his eye caught a pair of Atlesian police officers- no, one was human while the other was a robot- staring back at him. Farayan tried to tear his gaze away. Too late, though, as the pair strode across the block. His breathing intensified, silently pleading for himself to look like anyone else, as one of their hands was placed on his shoulder from behind. Farayan jumped out of his skin, whirling around with panicked eyes.

Up close, he realized it wasn't a police officer, it was one of the soldiers. If he had to guess, Farayan thought it was one of those Specialists from the way he carried himself and the intensity of the blue eyes. The specialist opened his mouth to say something, but it halted just as quickly as it opened. Now confused, the man pulled out a Scroll from his pocket, staring at the screen as his eyebrows knit together tighter. "Excuse me," the specialist started before he thrust the Scroll into Farayan's face, "Do you know this boy?"

Farayan looked down as his breath halted. It was an image of himself but a bit younger. Maybe the image the lab took of him three years ago. "N-no," Farayan stammered.

The robot next to the specialist beeped as it announced, "Elevated heart rate and dilated pupils."

With a small unconvinced look, the specialist turned back to Farayan. "The thing says you have the signs that you're lying," he accused.

Farayan stared at the machine, trying to put a flabbergasted look on his face. "I'm being stopped on the sidewalk by a stranger from the military," he rushed out, "You try not to be scared."

The man rolled his eyes as he walked away. "Come on," he told the bot, "Looks like I got the wrong person."

Farayan stared as the two figures retreated down the block before turning the corner. As they were out of sight, Farayan had to literally stop himself from sighing in relief, turning around as casually as possible with a scratch on the head. His act of being a clueless teen apparently worked since a full minute went by without the specialist showing up again.

But as the adrenaline receded from his veins, confusion replaced it as he thought back to the specialist's confusion. " _How did he not recognize me?_ " Farayan thought, passing by a window displaying all sorts of Dust crystals. Glancing over, Farayan did a double take as he backed up, staring at the glass with a look of astonishment. Not because of the items, but because of his reflection. His cheeks were fuller, almost chubby-like, and his eyes were now a startling red. " _Oh,_ " Farayan realized, " _That's why._ " He palmed his mouth, pretending to be deep in thought as he examined his new face. " _More powers_ ," Farayan mused with another prod to his face. " _What else did that thing give me?_ "

With extreme effort, Farayan tore his gaze away from the display and kept walking down the sidewalk, looking around for somewhere that could help him without batting a suspicious eye. Like a tourist shop. Despite the situation, Farayan laughed at the idea. Imagining Atlas housing something as trivial or dumb as a tourist stop was too much for him.

That's when the airships flew overhead, drowning out anything Farayan was thinking of. He winced as his eardrums seemed to rupture, listening to the dozen or so ships fly by. Once the noise dropped as the Bullheads went away, Farayan glared after them angrily, peeling his hands away from his ears. Mumbling under his breath, he started to walk away before sudden realization hit him. Farayan glanced over his shoulder at the direction the airships traveled to, hope finally creeping into his eyes. With just a moment of thought, Farayan spun on his heel and headed for wherever the Bullheads were.

Along the way, Farayan had to pinch his nose again, wincing from the horrible smell that still lingered. But, as he looked around, no one else seemed to have the same reaction while they passed him by. It was that same smell he sensed from outside the city- the intoxicating and toxic one. With narrowed eyes, Farayan unplugged his nose, glancing around him for the source. With another sniff, the scent directed him to the person next to him. Farayan looked at the woman in surprise since she wasn't exactly someone he'd think could make that stench: school uniform, regal-like pose, and an overall cleanliness to her. Nothing about her screamed, "I smell like a rotten carton of milk with dead maggots and just a hint of dog food."

Another sniff took Farayan in a different direction: a shopkeeper that was straightening the sign above his door. Another one made him whip his head around to stare at a group of boys horsing around the sidewalk. Farayan took another sniff, his eyes watering, as it directed him to another person. The confusion started to set in as he tried to place his finger on whatever the smell could be. It couldn't be anything anyone could smell since, from the lack of reactions from the others, no one else could sense it. So, it had to be something the Grimm side of him could probably smell. With a flash of horror, Farayan remembered a line from the textbooks back in the lab.

" _The Grimm have hunted Humanity for as long as recorded history. These creatures have been observed to only hunt Humans and Faunus and not any other animal. Speculation has questioned if this for the Grimm's diet that can potentially be Aura or if because humans have always been the easiest for these creatures to track down. Their senses do not naturally align with our own and instead can sense negative emotions which are why Grimm naturally flock to recent disasters."_

Realization gripped Farayan as he tripped over his own feet, stumbling to catch himself at the last moment. He took a deep sigh of grim acceptance before recoiling back from the stench again. "I'm going to have to live with this," he muttered to himself, flipping his hood over his head.

Before he knew it, Farayan found himself at the other edge of town with the airfields in sight. His jaw dropped at the amount of people and supplies being loaded onto the dozen or so Bullheads. It looked like half the population of Atlas and enough weapons for every Hunter and Huntress- retired, active, or in training- was being packed into a couple of small Bullheads. Sneaking on was going to be a lot harder now.

But still, somehow, either because of another skill he acquired from the Grimm or because the workers weren't attentive, Farayan managed to hop into the airship closest to him without being spotted. There were dozens of close calls, sure, but being stuck in a lab for 3 straight years can make a person extremely patient. Farayan found himself a secluded corner in the back behind a crate containing a trumpet and a pair of nunchucks and huddled there, waiting with a heavy set of lungs as boxes were stacked farther and farther away from him as the space became packed. What seemed like an eternity later, Farayan heard some mechanisms hiss to life while the cargo doors started to close. Only when they were completely shut and darkness enveloped the area did Farayan let out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

He slumped against the side of the Bullhead, the events of today finally catching up to him. Just as he started to relax, that small voice had to pop back up at the worst time. " _Congratulations,_ " it said sarcastically, " _You're out of Atlas. Now, where exactly are we going?_ "

"Shut up," Farayan half grumbled, half moaned as he turned onto his side, too tired to fight since he promptly fell asleep.

 **AN: And there's the end! Welcome back to the Fire Ramblings. I should start with the reviews first.**

 **Cindermane: Hey, hey, hey! You don't criticize me for Dr. Treuse! It's hard to find fitting color names to characters. Anyway, yeah. I can see why you'd say it's like a manticore and sphinx. I was actually imagining the body structure like the Horseman Grimm in Volume 4 with a bunch of characteristics from other Grimm.**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Wow, two loyal readers already. I'm either really good at what I do, or I am amazing at making stuff up on the fly. I'll try and post twice a month, but it might get hairy for next month. I'm gonna be off at a writer's workshop, so that means working on stories that aren't this. Anyway, Deltas are basically 3rd in command on how a story is supposed to go. There's the writer, Moi, Betas, currently not here, and Deltas. The faithful readers that writers have to listen to so they don't do something completely stupid like, I don't know, kill off the most lovable character mid-story. I'm talking to you, Gurren Lagann.**

 **AHBooklover7: Huh, a new face. The blue food, yep. PJO will always have an influence. Well, cliffhanger resolved. We should all be done now.**

 **By the way, I've already introduced you to a character that's going to die by the end of the story. No hints coming directly from my bolded words, only the story. So start searching the chapters I put out!**

 **Anyway, signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	3. Chapter 3: Grimm Revelations

**AN: And welcome back to Lusus Naturae. The story, not the... you get it. Anyway, this chapter and the next one will probably be rushed since I'm in... a writer's workshop camp! So if it comes down to it, I'll just make the next few ones exceptionally good if you want it.**

 **Disclaimer: Quoth said the Raven- still not mine.**

Chapter 3: Grimm Revelations

3 minutes or 3 days later, Farayan didn't know, but the cargo doors opened again on the Bullhead. The sudden noise of the hydraulics hissing to life startled him awake, banging his head against one of the crates with a head-splitting _thud_. Farayan let out a cry of pain but clamped down on his tongue a second later, his head held between his arms.

Too late, tough, the sound was enough to alert his presence. "Hello?" a voice called out, the sound bouncing off the metal walls, "Is anybody there?" Footsteps approached Farayan's hiding spot as his heartbeat started to increase rapidly, his hand twitching with a sort of fright. When the footsteps were hovering right next to him, he sprang up and shoved the poor guard off-balance, stumbling and toppling over a few boxes. Farayan sprinted out towards the exit, stepping out towards the light.

As soon as he was stepping on solid ground, Farayan shielded his eyes from the bright sun overhead, peering around to try and get his bearings. The first thing around him was the massive amount of people- students, by their uniforms- crowding around him with either shocked or defensive expressions. Behind them was a city almost as grand as Atlas, but not as regal-looking with its open streets and homey feel. At least, it would've felt homey if not for the dozen or so policemen running towards Farayan. With another glance, Farayan spotted a building sitting on a hill that looked a bit too much like a castle. " _Is that Beacon?_ " he wondered, " _So I'm in Vale, then._ "

As he thought to himself, a hand clamped onto his arm, and another one grabbed his other arm when he tried to tug away. "Where do you think you're going?" a voice growled from behind him.

Farayan winced as he was jerked back into a man's chest, his arms held behind his back painfully while he tried to flail around as best he could. "Wait a minute," another man's voice rang out. The second guard pointed at him with a shocked expression. "That's the guy they told us to look for!"

At those words, Farayan's eyes grew wide as his thrashing intensified. But, to his dismay, the guy had an iron grip on him. While he tried to escape, a crowd started to form around them, pointing and shouting while a few of them went for their Scrolls. Farayan closed his eyes in frustration as he let out a yell of frustration, Farayan's muscles groaning as he tried to free himself. Catching everyone off guard- including himself-, Farayan felt something shifting in his back before the sound of fabric ripping made his eyes fly open.

The guard holding Farayan let out an ear-splitting scream, his arms flying off Farayan as they fell in opposite directions. Farayan barely managed to catch himself before his face slammed into the ground. He tried to catch his breath while the crowd around him let out their own shrill screams, a good portion of them backing away from the scene in fright. Farayan peered behind him, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. "No," he breathed.

The backs of his shoulders and neck were covered in black quills, each one looked as if it could pierce anything weaker than wood. That wasn't the only thing that horrified Farayan, though. One of the three. He first thought the guards had tried to stab him with the quills, or even shoot him. But no, those were his, the puncture holes in his hoodie coming from his body instead of outside.

And the last thing. A red liquid was dripping off the quills in alarming amounts. Farayan glanced a bit farther back before he gagged in horror. There was the guard, his chest and arms suffering dozens of wounds from Farayan's new ability as blood beaded out from the small holes.

Farayan scrambled to his feet while his head darted around, a wild look in his eyes similar to a cornered animal. Already he spotted about a dozen more guards sprinting to the scene, a couple of them already with guns in their hands. "I-it was an accident," Farayan stammered as the other guard tried to stop his partner's bleeding. Farayan turned back to the crowd around him, trying to inch his way towards them.

They wanted none of him. The good majority of them fled in a mass panic while a few pulled out weapons of their own, ranging from a staff to something that looked like a cross between knives and pistols. It only took two minutes in a new kingdom, and here Farayan was- a menace to society once again. That had to be a human record.

Farayan opened his mouth to try and explain himself, but he was interrupted when a blade was thrust at him. He dived out of the way as the metal sliced through the side of his hoodie, missing skin by a hair. Farayan once again scrambled to his feet but dived out of the way just as quickly when the girl with the staff tried to sweep him off his feet. He didn't even have enough oxygen to say "Wait!" before he had to scurry away yet again, and a millisecond later a knife cut through the air where Farayan's leg had been.

At this point, Farayan was desperately hoping for something to go his way. He once again shoved himself onto his feet, whirling around and facing whoever was attacking him. From what he saw, around half a dozen Hunters in training and just as many policemen surrounded him, all with their weapons at the ready. Greeted by the intimidating sight, Farayan stumbled backward a few steps. As he took another, his foot hung threateningly in the air while he reached the edge, just catching himself before tumbled over. "Just turn yourself in," one of the teens shouted, the circle of hostiles closing around Farayan.

Farayan turned towards them, eyeing the Atlas guards in particular. While everyone else had their weapons up, wary of another attack, the two Atlesians already had their pistols primed, pointed straight at Farayan's head. "Sorry, I can't do that," Farayan shouted back.

And a moment later, a gunshot rang out.

Farayan tried to muffle his scream as his back foot was blown out from under him. Over the dull ringing in his ears, Farayan heard a few people scream- the students, judging by some of the higher pitched screams- as he stumbled back. Then, there was no more ground for him to stumble on while Farayan took a freefall.

Instinct took over his body as Farayan's mind blanked, blankly watching himself flip onto his stomach while the muscles rippled along his back. Suddenly, he wasn't freefalling anymore but instead swooped down into a glide with a set of pitch black wings. His flight was unsteady at best, beads of sweat trickling down his face as Farayan strained to keep his wings as straight as possible- a feat that was made even harder by the agony of the bullet hole in his leg.

Still, Farayan descended too quickly and hit the line of evergreen trees hard. His luck worsened when his wing snagged against one of the branches, spiraling him into another tree as he tumbled down, branch by branch until he laid at the base of the tree. Battered and bruised, Farayan was helpless as he tried to fight for consciousness before eventually losing out.

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Meanwhile, a certain headmaster was examining and plotting away, trying to figure out what had just happened at the air docks. Already he'd called for a team to come up, keeping the rest of the students on high alert if there was anything- rather, any _one_ \- else that may attack. And with all the reports and mass confusion, mixed with chaos, Ozpin was trying to see if any of this was connected to the looming threat of "the Queen."

Multiple screens were being projected at once. One had the security footage of what had just happened, many others were scanning through reports, and another showed the news. With a headline blaring ' _Attack on Beacon_ ', Ozpin was sure everyone was watching.

" _Today, Atlas was supposed to send the equipment and weapons for their transferred students to use, but sources say that someone took advantage of this Bullhead. We do not know who has done this or a motive, but what we do know is what has happened. As Atlesian guards tried to apprehend the suspect, one was critically injured by the suspect. His status is currently unknown whether he will make it or not._ " The broadcast showed a hastily shot video, the image blurry because it was one of the many Scrolls recording the event. When the boy impaled the guard with quills covering his body, the Scroll and its owner were shoved back as the crowd around it darted away from the scene, and a second later the owner joined the others and ran away as well.

" _After narrowly avoiding capture by the police and Atlesian students, the suspect jumped off the air docks to escape. And by the description of the event by the students who fought him, the person appeared to grow wings and glide off into the Emerald Forest, too far to track by a camera._ "

The image on the broadcast shifted until it showed an extremely pixelated shot of the criminal. From it, all anyone could deduce is that the person had black hair, a blue hoodie, black pants, and bright blue shoes. " _This person has not been identified by officials yet, but witnesses say he is around five-foot with blue eyes and black hair. Officials warn to not approach under any circumstances._

" _Many have speculated on what is the purpose behind this attack. The most logical and popular one is that this has been an attack by the terrorist organization called the White Fang. And-_."

Ozpin's musings were interrupted by the elevator doors opening, revealing a disgruntled general. "James," Ozpin said, surprised, "Why are you here?"

The general walked forward, his shoulders tense as he stared back at Ozpin. "Ozpin," Ironwood greeted.

"I'm assuming this is not just a chance for you to sit down and chat."

"Not at all." Ironwood sighed, "Right now, Atlas is taking too much of the blame. So I'm requesting for you to not go after this person with Beacon students."

Ozpin narrowed his eyes at his friend. "And why is that?" he asked, "Are they not prepared for it?"

Ironwood shook his head, almost looking embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "This… man is a citizen of Atlas who came aboard an Atlesian flight. It should be one of us that brings him in."

Ozpin nodded his head, leaning back in his chair as he pondered what was laid out in front of him. "I understand," he told Ironwood, giving the general a small sense of relief as the Atlesian sighed. "However," Ozpin went on, "I must decline your request."

"We'll all due respect-," Ironwood started to protest.

"You are right about the fact this is partially on Atlas," Ozpin interrupted, "But this is an attack on Vale's soil. If I called off our own people to hunt this person down, what would the public think about that? Not to mention the obvious complications of Atlas's troops in our kingdom."

Begrudgingly, Ironwood nodded his head, a sour look on his face. "I understand, Ozpin," he replied, "But Atlas also has a vocal outrage for this."

Ozpin waved the doubt away. "We could always use Atlas's resources," the headmaster suggested, "I would first like to know what has this person done in your kingdom."

With a deep breath, Ironwood stared at the ceiling while getting lost in thought. "I only remember fragments," he supplied, "The boy is Farayan Shen, and he's wanted for breaking and entering, escaping a prison, and resisting policemen." And as an extra, he tacked on under his breath, "And potential murder."

Ozpin narrowed his eyes at that last part. "I would like to label it as 'Second Degree'."

"Ozpin," Ironwood sputtered, flabbergasted, "The boy was obviously-."

"Acting in self-defense," Ozpin challenged. Ironwood let out a frustrated sigh, but before he could shoot back a remark, the elevators opened again to reveal four teens- two girls and two boys- looking battle-ready. "Ah, Team CFVY," Ozpin greeted as he gave Ironwood a dismissive look.

The general let out another frustrated breath through his nose before turning around and marching back, Coco having to walk sideways to avoid colliding with Ironwood. At the uneasy exchange, Ozpin sighed before leaning forward to address the team. "I'll make this brief."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"So," Coco announced with a stretch of her arms, "Where do 'ya want to start?"

CFVY was done with their short briefing and was now exploring where the witnesses said the guy landed. As Coco looked around for signs of him, Velvet calmly tapped on her shoulder, drawing her attention. And, with a sort of smirk, pointed up to a tree that looked as if it had been stripped of the top foot of its tip. "There's something," Velvet pointed with a twitch of her smile.

Coco was already walking over when a hand jutted out in front of her, stopping Coco in her tracks. She turned to look at Fox with a weird look. "What's the matter?" she questioned.

"Shush," Fox rushed out, his ears perking up as he listened. "Do you hear that?"

The others stopped where they were, straining their ears over the occasional sound of birds chirping overhead. As Coco opened her mouth to try and make a snide remark, Velvet's ears twitched before sprinting off to the right. "Velvet," Coco called out, rushing to try and catch up with her friends hot on her heels.

The faunus didn't slow down in the slightest for a while, and then she suddenly skidded to a halt. Her teammates had to almost bowl over each other to stop in time before they would've shoved Velvet to the ground. "What the heck, Velv?" Coco demanded.

"Shh," Velvet shushed, inching forward in a crouch. As the only other one with hearing as good as Velvet's, Fox beckoned them forward, also ducking down to be as quiet as possible. Catching on, the Coco and Yatsuhashi inched forward, the latter not built for stealth like the others. Still crouched, Velvet batted away a bit of shrubbery to peer at the person in front of them.

He matched the description of the reports- black hair, blue outfit. The teen stumbled onto his feet, drowsy like he was waking up from a long nap. With a groan, he waved his arms back and forth to stretch them out, making a few audible cracks. Then, the teen seemed to remember something as he groaned again, this time out of frustration, while he palmed his face.

As this all happened, Velvet turned to the rest of her team, drawing a small circle in the air with her finger. The message was crystal-clear- " _Circle around and cut him off._ " While they nodded, though, the person arched his arm back and took a deep breath of air, only to freeze up with fright as he looked around. Another whiff made Farayan stare straight at CFVY's hiding place, even if he couldn't see through the thick foliage. And in the next moment, he bolted.

"Damnit," Coco cursed loudly, bursting through the bushes. "Fox, Velvet- cut him off!" The two in question nodded while pouring on more speed, ducking to the side and out of sight in a few short seconds. In a few more moments, Yatsuhashi and Coco were barely aware of where they were going or even if they were still following their suspect.

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Farayan was running. He couldn't take the time to try and sniff out his chasers' scent, and to be honest he didn't want to know. All he was doing was sprinting through the forest, trying to get as far away as possible as he could from that other place.

Farayan wanted to believe luck was with him when the forest started to thin, giving him a second wind to keep going and break through. And Lady Luck was still laughing at him because the break was a large clearing that would take him a while to cross, but there weren't any other options. Peering over his shoulder, the trees rustled and thumped with his pursuers. That was all the reason needed for Farayan to continue to sprint across the clearing.

Barely two steps out of the forest, though, a blow to the back of the head sent Farayan tumbling head over heels, landing in the middle of the clearing with a sickening crunch. Farayan couldn't help to muffle the scream as he clutched his chest, definitely feeling at least one of his ribs cracking on the impact. As he tried to recover, He was picked up by his hair and hoisted up, making Farayan hiss in pain while trying to bend forward to protect his already injured chest.

He came face to face with a dark-skinned teen. His blank white eyes didn't scare Farayan too much, but the blades jutting out from the sides of his arms did. "Please," Farayan whimpered, "What do you want?"

"What do we want?" the guy echoed, fury growing evidently in the back of his voice. The teen threw Farayan unceremoniously to the ground, watching the boy crumple on his side. "You almost killed a guy," his chaser shouted.

Farayan put his arm out to try and inch away from the guy, but a foot on his ankle stopped anything he wanted to do. It was planted firmly down- not enough to break it, but certainly enough as a warning that he could at any time. With a gulp, Farayan closed his eyes as he waited for the inevitable. What he didn't expect was for the pressure to be relieved while a small _thunk_ was heard from beyond his closed eyes. "What the hell, Fox?" a girl's voice yelled. Her heavy accent pulled Farayan out of his stupor and opened eyes. "It was supposed to be capture, not beat to death!" The girl who saved him scowled at the orange-haired man, giving Farayan the same glare. Farayan squealed silently before he scrambled to his feet, one arm still holding his chest while he tried to make a run for it.

And then a bullet was fired.

Not at Farayan, mind you, but at the sky. Nonetheless, it got Farayan to halt in his spot with one foot still hanging in the air. Shakingly, the scared boy turned around as another two teens walked out of the woods, the short girl out of the two holding up a smoking minigun. " _And there's the rest of their team_ ," Farayan realized as well as how slim his chances of escape were.

"Try and run again and the next bullet goes through your leg," the second girl warned. With a strut to her step, she and the burly Mistralian-looking guy walked up, forming a loose ring around Farayan.

"P-please," Farayan begged again, "I didn't want this to happen."

"You mean you _didn't_ try to kill a guard?" the first guy challenged with narrow eyes.

"No!" Farayan yelled, "I just… I just wanted out!"

"Out of what?" the bunny-girl questioned.

"I…" Farayan didn't have an answer for them since he didn't know himself. "I just… I just want to be left alone."

"No can do," the girl holding the minigun claimed, "You're going to come with us."

Farayan's eyes darted from person to person, his instincts telling him to run as far as possible but his brain warning him he'd be shot before he'd make it to the trees. A second later, he tried his luck again. "Are you with Atlas?"

"Hunters in training," the towering boy answered. When he finished, the girl with the minigun let out a cough. "And Huntresses," he added on, "Team CFVY for you."

Now, confusion was written on Farayan's face. "Who?"

To his surprise, the girl with the minigun and fashion sense groaned and lowered her weapon. "I seriously have to talk to our PR person," she grumbled.

"We _are_ the PR," the faunus pointed out with a smile tickling the edges of her lips.

"Not the point. You really know nothing about us?"

"Nope," Farayan answered.

"Beacon's finest? The top second-year team? International sensation Coco Adel?"

"And there goes her ego," the arm-blade guy scoffed playfully. Even with his blank white eyes, everyone could tell he was rolling them.

"Can it, Fox."

"Can't say I have," Farayan managed out, looking at the four of them with a mix of confusion, fear, and amusement.

The fashion girl sighed before turning to her other female partner. "Can I harm him just a little bit? Maybe he hit his head too hard."

"Coco," the faunus girl exclaimed, "Stop joking around." She turned back to the bemused Farayan, stepping forward. Farayan could feel the confidence radiating off her, but there was also a sense welcoming. "Come with us," she insisted with a reassuring smile.

Farayan continued to remain torn, but he was slowly shuffling in their direction. "You won't tell Atlas about this?" he asked.

She gave him a half-hearted smile. "We'll do what we can," she conceded.

The next instant, Farayan was tackling her back. With an indignant yelp, the girl with the minigun spun around and took aim at him as the burly man pulled out his massive sword. They froze again when the others realized Farayan was tackling the faunus in a tight hug, something not lost on her as she reciprocated the action albeit with wide eyes. "Anywhere but there," Farayan whispered into her stomach.

He could feel the girl shift uncomfortably but still reassuringly pat his back. "What the hell did they do?" she asked. Farayan could almost hear the frown behind her words.

Farayan clamped his eyelids down, trying to wrack his brain for an answer. As he tried, however, a tingling sensation in the back of his neck brought Farayan on edge as he extended his newly-enhanced senses out.

There. Behind him in the line of trees was another scent. One that smelled of newly bleached uniforms and a dirty cleanliness to it. "Something wrong?" the girl Farayan was still holding asked.

And the shot rang out.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Coco still couldn't believe what just happened. One moment, the guy was tackling her teammate, the next it was a hug that Velvet wanted to help. And then the piercing whistling sound rang out from beyond the trees, heading straight to Velvet and their capture.

The two hit the ground with a thud as Velvet cried out in pain. Yatsuhashi busied himself with checking up on Velvet by first tearing the boy away from her. Coco and Fox meanwhile formed a small wall in front of them, waiting for the second attack.

Yatsuhashi cursed. Not a good sign. "The bullet's lodged in her shoulder," he announced, "We gotta pull out."

Fox cursed harder and louder than his teammate, taking a moment to think before storming over to their newest guy, hoisting him up by the front of his ruined hoodie. "Who was that?" he demanded with a sneer, "One of your friends? Trying to distract us while he lined up the shot?"

"You're with them, aren't you?" Fox wasn't ready for his accusatory tone, panic-filled and full of fear. "AREN'T YOU?" the guy screeched again, trying to tear himself from Fox's grasp. For his yelling, Fox gave him a quick sucker punch right on the cheek, one hand still holding him up.

The boy flinched away but didn't yell out in pain. Another second passed as Fox prepared another punch, but Yatsuhashi's voice took him out of his vision of red. "Fox! If you're done, we need your help here!" The sky blackened with the shadow of a Bullhead that started to descend on them. "Help Velvet out, now."

Fox whipped his head around to the towering teen, staring intently at the space just above Yatsuhashi's head. "You get Velvet onboard," Fox commanded, "I'll complete the mission."

"Velvet's now got a bullet in her shoulder," Coco snapped back, not giving Fox an inch, "If you really care about the mission that much, might as well leave us."

This got Fox to stumble for a moment. In the moment of his confusion, their capture tried to bolt away, but Fox got his senses back fast enough to pull him back into arm's-length, struggling to hold onto the thrashing boy. "I'm not going back," the boy screeched, kicking Fox's shins and pushing on his arms which were barely annoyances to Fox.

The spines were more than that, though. Fox could feel the skin on the boy ripple before it went off, but tearing his hands away from the boy didn't save Fox from receiving a couple of scrapes from the spines dotting the boy's back and arms. Fox gasped in surprise while he tried to shake off the stinging in his hands while the boy stumbled forward, scrambling to his feet and darting to the side.

He wanted to chase, Fox wanted to see their suspect's face behind bars right now, but Velvet's scream tore Fox from his desires. With a scrunched-up face and a rage-filled heart, Fox hurried back to try and help Coco hold their teammate down while Yatsuhashi tried to treat Velvet with the hastily thrown-together medkit they brought along. Velvet whimpered again as her arm visibly shook with pain before screaming again when a stinging liquid was poured into her wound and a needle was jammed into her neck. The world started to go black, giving Velvet one last glimpse of her teammates' downtrodden faces and scrunched-up brows barely holding in their anger.

 **AN: And that's the chapter. Hey guys, Fireflame here. Yep, I just hurt CFVY- what're you gonna do about it? Please don't- I won't do it again. Anyway, I'll just go into the reviews now.**

 **AHBookworm7: Sorry, grim isn't going to be a pun for me- too blatant, 'ya know? I'll make sure you'll get used to being mentioned because I'll make you keep coming back.**

 **TheGreenDooredBookshop: Killing off characters is fine, I'll agree with that. But Maes Hughes is still off limits. So was Nina. We still won't get over their deaths.**

 **Alright, I'll just say a few more stuff before I leave. I'm probably going to insert just one more OC by the end of the story, and believe me when I say you are going to freaking enjoy it. Either that or want to kill him, but oh well! He'll be my favorite person to write in all of my fanfics so far, and that's saying something since I have Ruby and Daniel I can write about.**

 **Anyways, that's all!**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Encounter

**AN: Hello, and welcome back to Lusus Naturae! This is a bit unprecedented- a week apart between my chapters. But I got so excited writing this chapter that I just had to steamroll through it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.**

 **Also, this is where all the s*** goes down.**

 **Disclaimer: (*cocks gun*) It's a highly edited version of an already amazing story. It's also a fanfic. Of RWBY.**

Chapter 4: The Encounter

Ironwood was starting to hate this portion of his job.

Getting called up in the middle of the night with no explanation wasn't exactly a good way to start off his meeting of what Ozpin had in store for him. And with what his informants told him, Ironwood knew it wouldn't be a friendly chat.

Before he could ponder any more, the elevator doors opened with its signature _ding_ as it revealed Ozpin's office. Ironwood took in a deep breath before releasing it, preparing himself as much as he could in the few short moments he had. The general stepped through the doors and into the center of the room. Ozpin's chair was turned away from him, overlooking the city at night where the lights still shined bright, illuminating the otherwise pitch-black night. Ironwood cleared his throat to get the headmaster's attention. "Ozpin?" he called out.

Ozpin's chair spun around forcefully at the sound of his voice. Ironwood had stared down some of Atlas's most infamous people- gang bosses, contracted assassins, rogue Hunters, and- his personal least favorite- dozens of White Fang members. But none were as imposing or intimidating than the pissed off Ozpin.

Already Ironwood could tell Ozpin was trying his hardest to hold himself in his seat. If he wanted to, Ironwood guessed his hands would already be around his own neck. Ozpin's nostrils flared as his stare pierced the normally stoic general. "Explain," Ozpin demanded. He could barely say the one word without breaking into an enraged rant.

Ironwood couldn't help the gulp he had to swallow, facing down this man. "Explain what?" he ventured.

Horrible mistake. Ozpin slammed his palms against the oaken table, the wood groaning under his hands, as he shot out of his seat. "Are you sure you don't know, James?" he challenged with red in his eyes, "Are you _absolutely sure_ you don't know?"

Ironwood anxiously brushed off a bit of sweat that was already forming on his face. Minimizing the damage was his best bet. "I had nothing to do with it-," he tried again.

And the bet didn't pay off. "Don't play games with me, James," Ozpin interrupted with a growl. The headmaster pulled up his keyboard and typed a few quick things into it, each button press almost shattering the poor board every time. A few seconds later, a projection was pulled up in between them showcasing the image of a bloodied bullet. "Now, would you care to explain?" Ozpin spat.

Ironwood focused on the image as much as he could, but it didn't help that Ozpin's rage-filled face was sitting right behind it. "Twelve-millimeter bullet," Ironwood listed off as he inspected the bullet, "Copper shell, probably fired from a rifle of some sort. And…" He trailed off when the inscription on the bullet finally made sense. "AMBR-7413002."

"Atlas Military, Ballistic rifle," Ozpin confirmed Ironwood's suspicions. Ozpin tore his hand through the projection, turning it off and revealing Ironwood's horror-struck expression. "Now," he growled, eyes peering above his glasses as he nodded his head in Ironwood's direction, "is there anything you'd like to say, _James_?"

"This wasn't me," Ironwood denied, "Ozpin, you can't believe I would do this, can you?"

Silence.

Scoffing in disbelief, Ironwood gestured to the dark city with a certain intensity. "Ozpin, I'm not trying to destroy my chances of cooperation," he promised, "It was my full intent to let you handle it and step in when needed."

"I have a second-year faunus of a prestigious team staying in a hospital because someone from the Atlas military shot her," Ozpin laid out for Ironwood, fury boiling in his throat, "Now, you will tell me everything you know or I will let the public know who is to blame."

"Ozpin, be reasonable-."

"James," Ozpin barked, his fist slamming into the table. "No more secrets!"

Ironwood sighed in defeat as he kneed his forehead, trying to rub away the headache brewing. "This was not my fault," he assured, "I had nothing to do with this call."

"Then who?" Ozpin demanded.

"I don't know," Ironwood rushed out, "There are five other generals that have the authority to do it. An unprovoked attack on friendly soil to get back a project- there would be only a few generals off the top of my head that have either the scientific knowledge or drive to do such a thing."

With a grunt, Ozpin sat back down and gestured for Ironwood to continue. "You know what my intention was- only get involved if I believed you needed it. What my informants told me was the aftermath of what happened and that the shooter was chasing a dangerous criminal that may threaten all of Remnant."

Ozpin scoffed at this. "You and I may have different definitions of what 'dangerous' is. According to Coco Adel, one of the students chasing your so-called criminal, he was insistent on having nothing to do with Atlas and even would have come back if not for your troop's intervention."

"I didn't know that," Ironwood admitted. Then, at Ozpin's suspicious scrutiny, Ironwood insisted, "I told you, I was barely briefed this afternoon about these events."

"Then get to the bottom of it, James," Ozpin urged, "And give me everything on this boy. Starting with his name."

Ironwood nodded. And as he pulled up a chair for the inevitably long talk, he gave one answer for Ozpin, the easiest one. "Farayan. Farayan Shen."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

" _Attention all students._ "

The alarm that rang through the entirety of Beacon made everyone look up to see which speaker Goodwitch's voice was speaking from. Conversations were interrupted, ruining more than one date. These messages were unprecedented for Beacon not just for the new students, but also for the fourth-years who had never heard of an important announcement this early in the year.

" _Due to an influx of Grimm in the past few weeks, Beacon is now assigning weekly exterminations in the Emerald Forest to reduce Grimm numbers to an acceptable amount. These exterminations are mandatory since it should be a Hunter's or Huntress's duty to make sure the kingdoms are kept as safe as possible- failure to attend will result in a mandatory re-take of this assignment. The second offense will result in immediate suspension._

 _Sign-ups for extermination dates will be posted in the Commons Rooms in each dormitory."_

Ruby perked up at the news, sitting up a little straighter in her team's study group, as did her sister. Blake and Weiss, meanwhile, cast a serious raised eyebrow to their teammates. "This seems…" Blake started with a hint of suspicion.

"Unprecedented," Weiss ended for her teammate, nodding while the other two stared at them with confused looks.

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked, "It's just a routine Grimm extermination. It's not like we're hunting down someone, right?"

Blake raised a doubtful eyebrow in Ruby's direction. "Really? Because the timing of this is exceptionally odd. Why not do it a week ago, before we took the Initiation when they didn't even know if we'd make it or not?"

"They knew we would make it," Yang assured, looking a bit too smug of herself, "And it was supposed to be a challenge. That's how things are in Beacon."

"And after the news about the air docks being attacked?" Weiss added, "After Team CFVY came back from an undisclosed mission while Fox nursed suspicious marks in his hand?"

Yang opened her mouth to find a light-hearted retort but couldn't find one. "Alright," she conceded with her palms outspread, "You got me there. Now it seems suspicious."

"Guys, relax," Ruby coaxed with an eye roll, "We're not going out there alone- this is supposed to be a safe extermination. And unless we _try_ and find this guy, we shouldn't have to worry." From this, her teammates gave her sage-like announcement a few nods of approval, one which included a soft smile from Weiss. Ruby returned it with a smile of her own. "I mean," she went on, "If you guys are that big on conspiracy, we could go in like, four days so we don't have to catch him."

Blake tilted her head up in thought with a pondering finger on her chin. "Not too soon that we'll catch him initially, and not too late that if he double's back we'll catch him then." She nodded in Ruby's direction, a little impressed.

Ruby's grin was growing by the second, and her blush wasn't that far behind. And just to give it a boost, Yang leaned over and enveloped Ruby in a sisterly hug. "Aw, look," she cooed, "My sister's growing up into the leader she should be."

"Yang," Ruby whined without a trace of anger, "Cut it out." Weiss and Blake started to laugh under their breaths as Yang chuckled while tightening her hold on the small girl squirming under her arm.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Ugh," Yang groaned, "Why did we decide-?" She stifled a yawn, eyes bleary, before she went on, "Why did we decide to pick a time this late?"

It was currently four days later, just as intended by Team RWBY. What they didn't intend for was for their rotation to fall at two 'o'clock. In the morning. "Because others had the same idea as us," Weiss guessed while she massaged her eyes awake. From behind bleary eyes, she tried to glare at an equally asleep red-headed partner who was stretching out her arms.

Ruby looked up back at Weiss with a grouchy expression. "Hey, don't look at me," she defended, "The spots filled up really quickly in an hour!"

With one final yawn, Yang arched back in a stretch as she said, "Whatever. Let's just spread out so we can have this over with sooner."

Weiss jerked her head toward her new target. "Split up?" she questioned, "In here? I knew you were hot-headed, but-."

"Okay, I'm not _that_ stupid," Yang declared with an eyeroll, "At least within shouting distance, okay?"

Weiss just trudged ahead, mumbling out a quick, "Keep an eye on your Scrolls," before leaving them behind. After a little while, Blake did the same to their left, and Yang went to their right, leaving Ruby to pick up in the back.

Ruby had her eyes peeled for anything- as peeled as they could be in their drowsy state- while she grumbled to herself about, "Stupid midnight exterminations," and "Quick students." Every once in a while, one of her teammates would shout with the others responding just as quickly, making sure no one fell too far out of formation. So far there was a single pack of Beowolves they had to take care of, and it didn't take long before boredom set in again.

And that's when the brush next to Ruby exploded.

Well, it didn't _explode_ , per say. That's just what Ruby felt when a body tackled her to the ground. Ruby let out a startled yell as her back slammed against the floor, pushing away to scramble to her knees. And then she looked up to her attacker. A moment later her breath hitched.

It was the guy from the news. The same blue hood, although stained with enough green and brown to make it look almost like camo, and the black hair was unforgettable- and a little unruly, if Ruby had to be honest. "What the…?" Ruby sputtered, fumbling for Crescent Rose into its scythe form.

She couldn't hit the trigger, though, because the teen was on Ruby in the next instant, wrestling her arm to the ground. "Stop," the guy rushed out just as Ruby finally shoved him to the side, allowing her the space to open her weapon. Ruby finally pushed herself up, standing in her regular battle stance with the barrel pointed right at the mystery teen.

The teen slowly started to back away, both hands raised in a surrendering gesture. But before either of them could move, Yang's voice rang out through the forest, "Ruby? I thought I heard you say something."

Ruby was opening her mouth when the guy looked wildly into her eyes. Her breath caught at the intensity of the stare. "Please," the teen begged with a trembling body, "Don't tell them I'm here."

"Why should I?" Ruby snapped back, "You attacked me!"

"I didn't," the teen tried to argue, dread growing in his eyes, "I just ran into you, and then you tried to pull a weapon on me! It's called defending, not attacking!"

Yang's voice rang out again, a bit more panicked, "Ruby?"

"Please," the teen pled again as the last bit of hope drained out of him.

Ruby continued to stare at his pitiful state before finally groaning. "Yeah, I'm fine," Ruby shouted into the darkness, much to the teen's astonishment, "I just got my foot caught on something. Don't wait up on me!"

A brief second went by before Yang's voice replied, "Alright, sis! Whatever you say."

The teen in front of her let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you," he said sincerely. The boy's shoulders slumped as he rubbed a hand over his tired face. "I just need some rest," he mumbled out, sinking to the ground as his eyes began to droop.

"Not so fast," Ruby interrupted his own little world. Her scythe cut dangerously along the ground while she approached the guy, all the while wary of a surprise attack. "You're going to tell me who you are and everything else."

The boy blinked a few times as he tensed up again. "Are you with Atlas?" he whispered in fear.

Ruby actually took a step back in surprise. Bad guys weren't supposed to be this reluctant and this… afraid. "No," she answered, "Beacon student."

The boy didn't get back up to his feet- Ruby didn't know if it was because he didn't want to or if he didn't have the strength- but instead clasped his hands out in front of him like he was praying. "Get me away from them," the man begged, "I'll tell you anything. But you have to get me somewhere safe."

Ruby raised an eyebrow at the bargain. But yet, Weiss the one that piped up this time. "Ruby? Are you sure you're alright?"

Ruby was opening her mouth to ask for their help, but the guy on the ground beat her to it. "We're fine," he replied in an eerily similar voice as Ruby's, "Just a few scratches."

Ruby whirled around in surprise and anger, but she was again interrupted when Weiss asked, "We?"

The boy let out a low curse as he got to his feet, already looking at where to go next. A scythe at his neck made his priorities focus elsewhere, though. "You're not going anywhere," Ruby claimed with narrow eyes. And then the boy did something that astonished and horrified her.

He purposefully pushed against the blade of Crescent Rose.

The teen let out a strangled cry of pain before dashing to his left, leaving a trail of blood behind. As Ruby got over her shock, she pursued the boy, following his clomping feet and the trail of blood he was leaving that was growing smaller and smaller as, she guessed, his hand was healing. It wasn't long before Ruby caught sight of him again, and as the boy turned to look over his shoulder, an arm clotheslined him until he literally fell head over heels.

The boy groaned as he nursed his thumping head while Blake stepped out from the shadows, blocking the guy's escape while Ruby stood on the other side of him. "Guys," Blake yelled into the night, "You better come here quick."

In just under a minute, Yang burst from the trees behind Ruby with Weiss following soon behind her. They both had their jaws dropped while they formed a loose circle around their captive. "Well," Yang stated, "So much for an uneventful night."

Weiss snorted as she drew her Myrtenaster. "Understatement of the century," she declared.

The boy groaned again, getting to his feet before the night's events caught up to him. He whirled around and around, watching as all of his options were gone with the four girls surrounding him. "No," he hyperventilated, catching sight of Weiss's uniform along with the others, "No, no, no, no!" He turned back to Ruby with betrayal in his eyes. "You told me you weren't with Atlas!"

"We're not," Ruby defended, "Weiss is just from there!"

"Weiss?" The boy's breathing started to turn into ragged gasps as he turned back to the heiress. "Weiss Schnee?" A nod of confirmation made the boy sit back down in defeat. "Do what you will," he mumbled, tucking his knees into his chest.

Weiss narrowed her eyes at the boy's angry but defeated tone, stepping forward with her rapier forward, questions about to fly off the tip of her tongue. But she was stopped by Ruby's outstretched arm. Weiss turned to her partner, slightly confused when she saw the empathetic look on Ruby's face. "What are you doing?" she hissed quietly.

"Being polite," Ruby answered before walking forward herself. The other three girls were on edge as Ruby strolled up calmly, sitting beside the boy like she would with a friend. "Hey," Ruby greeted quietly, "You have a name?"

The boy looked up with bloodshot eyes, but tears refused to leave his eyes. "F-Farayan," he stammered out, "Farayan Shen."

Ruby gave him one of her signature grins, albeit a bit forced. "I'm Ruby," she introduced herself, "None of us are with Atlas. Well, Weiss is from there, but she's with us. If you come with us, we won't bring you to Atlas. How about that?"

Farayan still looked at her with distrust, but the light finally came back to his eyes. "Bring me where?" he asked. The older girls winced at his broken and vulnerable tone.

Ruby jerked her head over her shoulder. "Back to Beacon." Farayan shook his head, his figure trembling as he ducked back into his little ball of isolation. "Well, can I ask you a few questions now?" Ruby pressed. From a small nod by Farayan, she carried on, "So, why did you hurt the guard?"

"I didn't want to," Farayan cried out, making the others jump back a quick step. "He grabbed me, and I-I… I don't know what I did."

Weiss scoffed in disbelief. "So you _didn't_ try and kill a guy by stab wounds?" she questioned with contempt.

"Weiss," Ruby snapped, looking up at the girl with obvious distaste.

Farayan even chimed in, glaring at the heiress. And to everyone's shock, he shot back in Weiss's voice, "And you weren't trying to kill me before I could talk?"

It was almost pitch by pitch what Weiss sounded like, and it sent chills down the four girls' spines. "H-how did you do that?" Weiss questioned, pointing a shaking rapier at the boy. "Is that your Semblance?"

Farayan blinked in surprise before realizing what he did. "I don't know," he answered in Weiss's voice. Then, he cleared his throat loudly before continuing with his own, "I mean, I don't know. I'm learning my powers as I go on. First, it was the spikes, then the wings, and now-."

"Wait, hold up," Yang interrupted, "Wings? I thought that wasn't real."

Blake nodded in agreement, her eyes narrowing with confusion and suspicion. "Avian faunus don't exist," she claimed, "And there isn't a bat that has spikes. Not to mention the voice mimicking." She put a hand to her mouth, pondering. "What are you then?"

"I don't know!" Farayan exploded which threw RWBY out of their calm demeanor. His blue eyes laid on Blake with a wild look. "I have no idea what happened to me or what I am anymore," he frantically shouted.

"Do what?" Ruby asked as she tried to calm Farayan down, "Who did what?" Farayan remained silent as he shook his head violent enough to make it look like it would fly off from his neck at any time. "Farayan, come on," Ruby tried to put a hand on the distraught boy's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Farayan shrieked, shoving Ruby off of him and scrambling away. At the sight of her sister being pushed, Yang sprang into action and tried to hold Farayan down. But he was already scrambling away and onto his feet, turning around in a crouched position, ready to flee at any time. "I can't go back!" he wailed, his chest heaving with panic.

"Go back to Atlas?" Weiss questioned, "Why? Why are you running away from Atlas?"

Farayan took a few more deep breaths before he laid his eyes on Blake who was helping Ruby onto her feet, Yang standing in front of them with her arms up in a protective stance. "You understand, right?" he begged, "You're a faunus- you understand how isolation works." Blake froze at the words while the other three stared at Farayan in confusion. "I can't go back there because I'll be treated worse- like a lab experiment."

"Time out," Yang waved her hands with narrowed eyebrows, "What do you mean, 'You're a faunus'? None of us here are."

Now it was Farayan's turn to look confused. "What?" he intoned, "No, I definitely smell a faunus here." He took another whiff, closing his eyes in the process. "Yep. I think it's a cat."

Yang scoffed at the idea before turning to Weiss. "Are you a cat?" she asked, amusement tickling her tone.

Weiss rolled her eyes at the accusation. "As if. Do you know how disturbing that would be for a Schnee?"

"And Ruby and I aren't faunus so that just leaves…" Yang's lighthearted tone trailed off as realization started to dawn on her face, turning around to look at Blake who was still on the ground despite the fact that Ruby was on her feet, staring at Blake as well. "Blake?" Yang asked.

Blake stared at her teammates with horrified expressions, especially Weiss who was squinting at her with distrust. "I…" she managed out before clamming back up.

All the while Farayan was squirming where he stood. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "I thought you guys knew." And then the shot rang out, bringing Farayan back to his knees. He clutched his bicep, screaming before clamping down on his tongue as Ruby, Yang, and Weiss whirled around to see Farayan's injured arm. And yet again they turned to witness Blake holding her gun up with the barrel smoking. "Stop shooting me!" Farayan yelled, backing away from the four of them.

"Blake!" Weiss yelled at her teammate, eyes blazing, "What is your problem?"

Blake's eyes were smoldering, furious that her dearly kept secret was unveiled by someone that had met her for five minutes. Then, as realization finally set in, horror replaced her anger as she looked at the faces of her friends. "It…" she stammered, "It was supposed to be a secret."

Weiss was opening her mouth to shoot off another retort, but a yelp from Ruby cut her off. "Farayan's gone," she shouted, spinning in a circle to try and find their missing boy.

Weiss's fury could be felt through the brisk air as she stormed up to a stunned Blake, shoving a finger into her chest. "This is _your_ fault," she claimed.

"My fault?" Blake repeated, "How?"

"If you didn't shoot him, he would've come with us."

Blake wasn't having any of it. "You were the one that he was afraid of," Blake countered.

Their argument continued for quite some time as Yang and Ruby searched for wherever Farayan could've run off to before Ruby spotted a trail of blood leading away from them, deeper into the forest. "Found something," she announced, sprinting off in that direction.

Her teammates barely had the time to yell, "Ruby, wait!" before she was already pouring on her Semblance, keeping one eye on the ground every few seconds to make sure she didn't lose sight of her trail. But to her disbelief, the blood started to thin out like the wound was already healing by that point. And after a few more paces, it vanished. She tried to screech to a halt, but her foot caught on the uneven ground, tripping her up and flipping her forward.

Ruby's last sight was a root of a tree speeding towards her, just as she started to yell out, "Yan-!" Then her world went black.

 **AN: And that's it! Hey guys, fireflame here. Now you see why I really wanted to upload this chapter. This is basically where everything starts in terms of the action. Enough about that, though. Reviews!**

 **TheGreenDooredBookshop: I rather say Farayan is tainted, and can't use Aura for that reason. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to give him a lot of freaking powers just because. I'll get into it next chapter.**

 **AHBookworm7: So far the abilities are fight-or-flight scenario. You'll understand why everything happens when he desperately needs it later when I give it a bit of backstory.**

 **Also, good catch. It was her.**

 **Lord Adhes: Not really plot armor. It was just regular workers vs. Grimm/human hybrid. No real contest there.**

 **Anyway, that's it for the reviews. And I'll just leave you guys on a cliffhanger like that. It's what I do.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	5. Chapter 5: Adventure and Scheming

**AN: Look, I'm sorry this is coming out so late. Truth be told, I just got lazy. Really, really lazy. And now school is starting, Piano Season is in the air, and Standardized tests have now taken me hostage. Sorry guys, but I'll try to make it up in a week. If not, expect 3 chapters in a month. Sometime soon. But anyways, I'm back from the grave!**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned RWBY, I could safely say Salem would not be canon in the slightest. Needless to say, she's in RWBY, and I'm not the owner.**

 **Disclaimer 2: New poll up once you're done reading this chapter.**

Chapter 5: Adventure and Schemes

Ruby woke up to the sunlight beating down on her eyes, birds chirping above without a thought to what was happening below. As she slowly regained consciousness, though, she wished she could go back to sleep for the splitting headache that awaited her wasn't giving her any relief. Ruby turned over, groaning, as she cradled her head, feeling a particularly nasty bump on her forehead.

"Oh good," A voice breathed in relief, "You're awake." Ruby didn't even have the strength to bolt to her feet at the sound of the unfamiliar boy. All she could do was turn over again, peeking between her fingers and at the blue eyes that shone above her. "At least you're not dead," the boy sighed, tension being released from his relaxed shoulders.

Ruby opened her mouth to try and speak but was rewarded with a small pool of blood in it, making her cough and sputter as she got rid of the dirt and metallic liquid that filled her mouth. A hand gently guided Ruby onto her hands and knees, letting her throw up anything she needed to, before they coaxed her to lean on a tree, allowing for Ruby to get her bearings. "Sorry," the boy apologized, "You bit down on your tongue."

"'Ts not your fault," Ruby muttered with a hand still pressed on her temple, "I fell over some stuff. I'm clumsy like that." Then, she realized who she was talking to. Ruby let out a small squeal whilst scrambling back, pressing her back against the tree as harshly as possible. "You're…" she stammered, "You're-.'

"Surprise," Farayan greeted with a weak chuckle. When Ruby's chest started to rise and fall rapidly, eyeing her surroundings with eyes as fast as her chest. "I couldn't keep you like that," Farayan rushed out, "You would've been eaten or… whatever Grimm do. I couldn't just leave you to die."

Ruby's mind was still whirling at 100 miles an hour, but she finally stopped panicking. Farayan sat down in front of her, rubbing his face too and trying to think of what to say. That's when Ruby noticed the bags under the eyes that marred his worried expression. "How long was I out?" Ruby asked.

Farayan was startled by the question for just a moment before composing himself. "I don't know," he admitted with a weak smile that looked more like a grimace, "Two… Three days?" Ruby groaned at the time she had lost while Farayan winced at the distraught rolling off the girl. His expression just a bit as he remembered something. "Oh," he breathed, "I saved this for you."

With a curious frown, Ruby peered at Farayan who crawled away from her before returning with something that brought a smile to her own face. Her breath hitched as, with a thud and a grunt, Farayan tossed Crescent Rose towards Ruby who caught it before cradling it like a small child. "Still don't know how you carry that thing," Farayan rambled, "It weighed almost as much as you."

"Shut up," Ruby grumbled with a blush. She inspected her weapon with critical eyes and delicate hands before hesitating for a second, quipping out a quick "Thanks" before returning to her work.

Farayan blinked a few times before reverting to blushing. "For what?" he asked.

"Well." Ruby popped to her feet as she hooked the weapon onto her belt. "Thanks for taking care of me." A second later, Ruby noticed the blush on Farayan's face brightened to a peachy-pink. And to her chagrin, a rosy tint made its way on her face. "I'll just…" she stammered while she tried to push past Farayan, "I'll just get going."

"But you can't," Farayan exclaimed. He put a hand in front of Ruby's path, his body soon after. Ruby stared at him with her mouth agape in disbelief before she started to reach for the scythe strapped to her back. "We're in the middle of a forest," he reminded. Then, Farayan gave her a pointed look. "Filled with Grimm."

Ruby's shoulders lost their tension as she gave Farayan a half-smile. "I'll be fine," she reassured, "I've got my Scroll to call my team."

The flustered look on Farayan's face was replaced by one of confusion. "Scroll?" he asked, "You mean the small… the device you had on you?"

That earned him a weird look from Ruby as she reached into her back pockets. "How have you not heard about a Scroll? You must've lived under a rock." Her teasing stopped with a heart-stopping moment when her hand grasped open air. Ruby kept muttering, "No, no, no," as she continued to search her body for her device.

Farayan clicked his tongue knowingly, leaning against a nearby tree. "It dropped from your pocket when I was carrying you away," he admitted, "I didn't think it was important."

Ruby whipped around, a glare worked up on her face. "Why didn't you take me back to my team then?" she demanded. "You could be gone, and I'd be back with my friends!"

"Oh yeah," Farayan laughed without humor, "And get shot again? No thanks." Ruby groaned again at the flashback she had of last night's events yet again. She palmed her face while Farayan went on, "What's with you Hunters anyway? It's always 'shoot first and ask questions later'."

"I asked first," Ruby mumbled through her fingers.

Farayan tilted his head towards her in agreement. "Alright, you and the bunny girl were asking questions, but everyone else would've shot me or turned me in." Ruby was opening her mouth to retaliate when a low howl rang from the depths of the forest, making the pair shiver at the feral growl. "We should probably get going," Farayan advised, more alert than he had been previously.

Ruby nodded as Farayan started to set off in the opposite direction, her following shortly after. " _What did I just get myself into?_ " she asked herself with a sigh and her head thrown back.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Ruby did _what_?" Ozpin exploded, eyes blazing with anger. The three girls left of Team RWBY that stood in front of him took a frightful step back while Ozpin shut his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he tried to calm down.

"Ozpin," Ironwood placated, "Shouting at them is not going to help." He promptly ignored the small, "I know," that Ozpin growled out as he turned back to the girls. "Thank you for this new information about our culprit. Go get some rest. We'll take care of it now."

"But sir," Yang started to protest, "We'll all due respect, that's my sister out there! I have to-."

"No." Ozpin stood up with a deep sigh, his shoulders slumped. "I will have no more students injured or missing because of my actions. Go back to your dorms. The professors and I will take care of things."

Yang's mouth was opening up for another remark before Weiss gave her a subtle kick to her leg. "We understand," Weiss answered for the three of them. Then with a bowed head, she added, "Please bring back Ruby as soon as possible."

Ozpin gave the heiress a nod of thanks before slumping back down in his chair, taking a much-needed sip of coffee. It was obvious that the conversation was over for them, and the three girls turned to head for the elevator. "Miss Xiao Long," Ozpin called out without warning. Yang snapped out of her stupor for a moment to turn around, giving Ozpin a subtle glare. "I'm taking responsibility for the safety of Ruby," he declared with a dark wince, "I was the one that suggested she get moved up two years, and now this has happened."

If Yang was surprised at Ozpin's words, she didn't show it when she turned around wordlessly and went with her teammates. As the doors started to close, she turned around one last time to see Ozpin's apologetic look. The elevator started rumbling, and a moment later it was descending. Just as Yang was hoping for some peace and quiet to absorb what had just happened in the past twelve hours, Weiss had to speak up. "So," she turned to the third girl in the elevator, arms crossed over her chest, "You're a faunus."

Yang let out a groan and banged her head against the back wall while Blake tensed beside her.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

On the other side of the doors, Ozpin's body slumped forward, his head resting in the palms of his hands. Next to him, Ironwood looked at the normally stoic man with shock and surprise. He'd only seen the Headmaster this defeated… never. "This is too unprecedented," Ironwood heard him mutter, "What motive is there? Why now? We already have the Queen to deal with-."

"Ozpin," Ironwood shouted, knocking the Headmaster out of his own personal world of paranoia. Ozpin blinked a few times before looking up at the general with a determined but lost expression. This was uncharted waters for Ozpin, and he'd forgotten how to tread water. "Calm down," Ironwood calmed with a reassuring tone, "We'll get the girl back."

Ozpin nodded, the desperation slowly evaporating from his face. "You're right," he mumbled. Then he cleared his throat, sitting up a little straighter. "My apologies, you're entirely right. It's just been an eventful couple of days for me."

Ironwood nodded, his own patience and stamina being exhausted from the constant search for answers. "Well," he started as he put a hand in his pocket, "I have something that lightens the burden." Now Ozpin was staring up at the general with that twinkle of wisdom in his eyes. "I checked the experiments and research done at the lab I think this… Farayan… was in."

Ironwood made his way to Ozpin's tech desk and placed his own Scroll on top, typing in a few keys. Before long, a decently long list was projected between the two men. The majority of them had names boring enough to put even the most devoted scientists to sleep. "Most of these experiments were on livestock and living organisms, trying to better our food production and whatnot. All of these are very detailed, thorough, and open to the government to see their progress. All, of course," Ironwood raised a hand and pointed at one row sandwiched between _Longer Preservation_ and _Mass Gene Splicing_ , "Except for this one."

Ozpin studied the entry, but the thing that got his attention was the title. "Project Lusus Naturae," he echoed.

"This is where it gets interesting. This is the woman overseeing the project."

Another few taps later and another image was shown. The woman in the picture was somewhere in her mid-40's with straight, blonde-green hair flowing down her back. A pair of round glasses covered eyes with hidden genius and even better-hidden creativity. The exact same sparkle as a mad scientist. "Dr. Cher Treuse," Ozpin said with a silent gasp.

Ironwood looked up from his typing to study Ozpin. "So you know her."

With a nod in response, Ozpin leaned an elbow on his desk, rubbing his mouth and chin in deep contemplation. "Just her achievements," Ozpin answered, "Atlas's most trusted mind in biochemistry. She helped engineer the newest versions of prosthetics and even your robotic troops if I'm remembering correctly." Now Ozpin was perched up on both his elbows, studying what little information on the project there was. "So why is she in charge of a program at a food lab?" he questioned behind his hands.

"Why don't we ask her?" Ironwood smirked.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow at that. "You of all people should know how hard it is to talk to her," he challenged, "Even some people in the higher positions in your government do not know where she is most of the time, let alone how to contact her."

Ironwood flourished his hand, and a few button later, a dial tone started. "Thankfully, I'm in the minority that does know that information."

The two waited, Ozpin with bated breath, as the ringing continued with no one picking up on the other end. Then, a click as the call connected, showing a smiling brunette with a standard Atlas government uniform. She spoke with a cheerful voice, "Atlas Government Service- how may we help you?"

Ironwood narrowed her eyes at the woman on screen. "This is Dr. Treuse's personal office line," he stated with suspicion, "Where is she?"

"I'm sorry, sir," the woman replied evenly, "Dr. Treuse was injured in a lab accident very recently and can't be reached right now. Do you want to leave a message?"

"Cut the formalities," Ironwood demanded, "I know the reports. She was at the Grimm attack yet was not filed under 'wounded'. So direct this call to her now."

The woman actually was startled back in her chair, not really ready for someone to be that direct with her boss's work. Before she could stammer out a reply- as Ironwood saw it-, another woman called from offscreen. "Amber, ask for a name."

The woman, Amber, nodded before turning back to face Ironwood. "Yes, I'll have to have your name, though. It's policy."

Now, Ironwood's patience was wearing thin. "General James Ironwood."

"Wait, that's Ironwood?" the off-screen woman questioned. "Amber let me on."

Amber turned to the not-yet-visible woman with a hint of horror. "But Miss," she stammered, "The Director said-."

"It's Ironwood. I'll give him the information that I can." With great reluctance, Amber climbed out of her seat and exited the screen. From the other side of the projection, another woman came into view. Ironwood and Ozpin instantly recognized this woman as it was the same one they'd been studying minutes ago. "General Ironwood," Dr. Treuse greeted, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"What is Lusus Naturae?"

Dr. Treuse tilted her head back with contained amusement. "So that's how it is- straight to the point, I see." She turned back to the screen with a serious expression. "I cannot answer that, sir."

Ironwood blinked as he processed her words. "What do you mean?" he growled, "I exercise my position as a Council member and as one of Atlas's Generals-."

"Ah, you're using your position to get this information," Dr. Treuse stated, "Unfortunately, the one in charge of funding and maintaining this project has a higher prestige than you, so your demand is nulled, sir."

Ironwood stood back, trying to wrap his head around the fact there were more powers at play than he'd previously thought. And it was Ozpin's turn to have a crack at the stone-faced scientist. "Dr. Treuse," he addressed, "I assume you know who I am?"

On the call, Treuse blinked a few times before nodding. "Headmaster Ozpin. What a surprise. Unfortunately, that information is above even your standing." Ozpin sat back in frustration. "If you, however, knew enough information about the program that made you a threat to exposing us to the public," Treuse rambled with a sparkle of mischievous in her eye, "it's possible I could tell. But you don't, so goodbye." She made a move to end the call.

"Farayan," Ozpin yelled out, making Treuse's now enormous hand freeze on screen. "Farayan Shen. Does that sound familiar?"

Dr. Treuse pulled back her hand just a little and finally smiled for the camera. "Now you're getting somewhere," she congratulated, "But it's still not enough. Farayan Shen _is_ familiar to me, but you'll have to give me more information in order for me to remember him."

Before Ozpin could get out another word, Dr. Treuse moved back and ended the call. Ironwood threw his hands up in frustration. "Fantastic," he chided, "We're back at square one."

"Not necessarily," Ozpin drawled, sitting back in his chair. Ironwood turned to the headmaster as a smile tugged at his lips again. The white-haired man was finally regaining that scheming look back in his eyes. "Dr. Treuse has given us a way to retrieve more information from her." He looked up at the General. "Tell me, what do we know of Farayan?"

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Where are you from?"

"Nowhere."

"How come you're running?"

"None of your business!"

Farayan and Ruby were walking through the forest in the direction of what they hoped was a nearby town. Ruby was guessing and hoping Farayan knew where he was going based on, "I can smell it." Whatever that meant. When Ruby tried to ask, she kept being shot down like the Grimm she had slain.

"What's your Semblance?" Ruby inquired yet again.

"Look, stop asking questions, please," Farayan demanded with eyes shut from annoyance. Meanwhile, in his brain, a debate was going on. " _Seriously, why'd we bring her again?_ "

" _You know why. We couldn't have just left her to die when she was unconscious._ "

" _And she's not unconscious now. So why are we still towing her around? She might as well turn us in as soon as we arrive in a town._ "

" _She wouldn't do that_ ," Farayan argued, " _And besides, she's got no way of getting back. And she's a Huntress. She could kill off any Grimm._ " The other voice in his brain was silent at that, maybe because it's questions were finally answered. But he had another problem at hand. Looking back over at the overbearing girl at his side, Farayan realized he hadn't heard her talk in quite some time. He sighed. "Ruby, I'm sorry- I just don't want to drag you into an even bigger mess than you already are in."

The red-obsessed girl was startled out of her stupor with surprise before it morphed into an understanding smile. "Questions can't hurt though," she declared, "Now, what's your favorite song?"

As Farayan opened his mouth to answer, a deep, guttural roar came from somewhere behind them. Somewhere close. Ruby grabbed ahold of Farayan's arm as she dragged them through the forest quicker. "We should keep ahead of that," she stated.

"Don't bother," Farayan interjected with wide eyes. "To the left!" With nothing else but that brief warning, Farayan jerked the both of them to the side as a black and white figure charged by, missing them by hairs before skidding to a halt after it took down a couple of innocent trees. Farayan had to scoff at the beast in front of them. "I can't fight that; it'll crush me!"

It might not crush him so much as trample him. In front of them was a Nosorog. It stood tall on four meaty black legs, easily twice the size of the humans it was glaring at with red and yellow eyes. The two horns protruding from its muzzle also added to its intimidating factor, as well as its thick, white armor plates that lined its body, only showing its black skin through tiny cracks and pockets where it wasn't heavily reinforced. ( **AN: It's a rhino. With armor- nothing very special**.)

"Don't worry," Ruby said with a feral grin. The scythe strapped to her back flourished to life with a click of a button as she crouched down, adrenaline already flowing in her veins. "I'll take care of it." The Nosorog and her had a brief standoff- waiting for the other to make the first move while they studied their opponent- before the beast charged in, Ruby joining a heartbeat later.

Just as she was about to meet it head-on, almost to the horror of Farayan, Ruby twirled to the side with a dancer's grace as the Nosorog careened past her. With another twist, Ruby whipped around, her Crescent Rose ready to slice through the Grimm's neck. But instead of the satisfying feeling of cutting through butter, it felt more like she'd swung a bat against a stone wall as her scythe bounced off the white plates with nothing more than a dent. Her shoulders immediately tensed as she realized her task was now a hundred times harder.

Farayan's yell made Ruby aware of her surroundings again to watch her new companion dive and scramble to the side, narrowly avoiding the charge Ruby had sent his way. "I thought you said you had it," Farayan shouted in the vague direction of Ruby.

"Well, obviously I don't." Ruby cocked back a bullet as she eyed the Grimm warily as the beast stumbled to a halt, spinning around at a surprising speed for something of its size. She examined the Nosorog for any weak points, but the only point on its body that wasn't completely covered with bone plates was its neck. A small enough target that was positioned in the hardest place to reach before Ruby would either get trampled, impaled, or thrown off.

Ruby swallowed her doubt as she turned to a transfixed Farayan. "Can you distract it?" she yelled.

Farayan whipped his head around, staring at the girl with a look of disbelief. "Are you serious?" he exclaimed, "You want me to bait _that_ thing?" All he got from Ruby was a half-hearted but apologetic smile. "Fantastic," he sassed. And with that vote of confidence, Farayan jumped up and down, waving his arms sporadically while yelling, "Hey! Over here!"

As intended, the Nosorog's eyes fell on Farayan who took in an unwilling gulp of fear. A quick glance to his side let Farayan know that Ruby had disappeared, somewhere out of sight while all the attention was focused on Farayan. A moment later, the Grimm stampeded Farayan, its head down and the horn pointed at his stomach.

Another second passed, and Farayan still didn't move while the Grimm closed half the distance between them. Another second, and he could feel the Nosorog's feet rumbling the earth with every pace. In the next moment, Farayan could almost feel its breath. All the bravery was flushed out of him as Farayan jumped to the side, his feet grazing the side of the beast.

The Nosorog's eyes narrowed as if it was confused that a human wasn't impaled on its horn at that moment while it slowed down to a moderate trot. That was Ruby's queue to jumped out of the shadows, with a cry of triumph, as her scythe closed in on its neck. Luck was not on her side, however, as the Grimm spotted the red cloak moments before it moved, giving it enough time to spin itself around and swat Ruby out of the air with its side.

She tumbled over and over before skidding to a halt a few meters away, the breath in her completely spent. Ruby hacked out a string of coughs while she pushed herself up onto her feet. Then, however, her eyes registered the looming figure over her with a foot in the air just before it came down. Ruby rolled to her right as the Nosorog missed her by hairs, but her cloak was not as fortunate. Pinned, the Grimm lifted its other foot up painfully slow, every heartbeat lasting hours.

Ruby stared in horror as the foot dropped, but the moment it did she felt all the weight hovering above her get knocked off balance as another force slammed into its side, toppling it onto two feet as the Grimm hopped away to regain its balance. Her stare only blanked when her savior's face showed itself. "Come on," Farayan panted as he outstretched a hand. Ruby, in full shock, mindlessly took his hand, and she was hoisted onto her feet.

"H-how…" Ruby stammered with her mouth hanging open, "How did you…?"

"It's coming again," Farayan warned. And indeed it was, as the Nosorog was back on its feet and charged them for the third time. But unlike the others, Farayan met its charge with one of his own. When they were just a few paces away from each other, Farayan angled himself just off to the side with his arms outstretched in front of him. Defying all of Ruby's beliefs, the Nosorog stampeded past him, but Farayan's hands wrapped around the horn firmly stuck on its maw which he jerked around with incredible force. So much force that the black creature was jerked off its feet as its momentum carried its feet farther, but not the rest of its body.

With a crash, the Nosorog slammed onto the ground, its legs flailing in the air as it tried to find solid ground. Farayan pinned the Grimm's head down with his entire body as Farayan looked up at a stunned Ruby. "Now," he shouted, almost being bucked off again.

Ruby had to shake her head to clear the emptiness plaguing her mind before she sprang into action. In a few moments, a deep gash was made in the beast's neck as it started to dissolve in the wind. Farayan finally got to his feet, his arms shaking and strained from effort. Once their task was done, Ruby went right back to gaping at her newest companion. "What was that?" she demanded, her voice an octave higher than it usually was.

 **AN: And there's the chapter finished! Hello, fireflame here. I gotta say, it didn't end as intended. I wanted to go on a bit further, but time really hates me (and I hate time), and also I need something to write about in the next chapter. So we're saving Farayan's story for later.**

 **Quick note: Nosorog is Bulgarian for Rhino.**

 **And there's the scheming between Ozpin, Dr. Treuse, and Ironwood. When I said I got inspiration from Stranger Things, I meant it. Also, I may have to make a few characters go OOC because of what I'm doing. It will all make sense once I get done with the explanations. So if you see plot holes, they'll be covered in time. If I don't, then please tell me because I suck at wrapping things up.**

 **Just in case anyone was still interested in the story, I'm thinking about dropping Polar Opposites. Not because it's bad, but because, well, I got nothing. I don't know where to go with it, so it's a not just a writer's block, it's a writer's 20-foot-thick concrete wall. With laser security defenses on it. So, I'm most likely going to abandon the story.**

 **Anyway, reviews!**

 **GreenDooredBookshop: that hurt is going to come later. Much, much later. And it might not even be Farayan I do that to.**

 **I'm going to address something in your review. I hate Salem. I absolutely despise her character. Not because she's so evil, but because she's cliche evil. The type you'd only see in joke-animes or fairy tales that also don't have much personality except hate, evil, ruthlessness, and anger. Cinder is a good villain, and that's why I'll use her way more often than Salem. But Torchwick- that's where it's at. A good blend between a guy trying to survive, a crook, a lovable character, and a hated character. So nicely done. Shame RoosterTeeth killed him off.**

 **Anyway, Farayan's powers. I'll explain it in next chapter, or maybe in two chapters, but yeah. You sort of got the basic gist of it. Gheist possession is a no because to overpowered and stretched arms... I think I can fit that in somewhere.**

 **But also, Blake acted like that because of secrets. She just started a new life away from her past self, and it's revealed immediately not only to the people she's just starting to trust but also to the most hated person in her life (besides maybe Adam)- a Schnee. So she shoots the guy that gave away her second chance. Eliminate the problem then run, or just don't even do step one- that was Blake's thinking when she ran away from the White Fang and her team, so it sort of makes sense to shoot Farayan. Wow, I'm sadistic. "It makes sense to shoot Farayan" is what someone would say before being put into an insane asylum. Oh well.**

 **Sister figure is going to be Ruby. I'll say it right now. And even then, I'm a bit iffy on that. Actually, I'll put a poll up. If you think I should make it a sister relationship or a full "fall in love" relationship, I'll make a poll for it. Because I can see it going either way right now, and both work out nicely in my head. (Ooh, Penny. Forgot about her. No, now she's in my story. Thanks.)**

 **The last point for you, Farayan is black in... actually, I can't find it anymore. I swear Farayan stood for dark in India, but I can't find it. Sorry.**

 **AHBookworm7: Daniel was a sort of accident. At that time I didn't know there were no bird faunus because that episode of RWBY hadn't come out back then. So I just said goodbye to the wings. And be prepared for more cliffhangers. Not many, but they'll come eventually.**

 **Anyways, signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	6. Chapter 6: Highs and Lows of On the Run

**AN: And it's an update! What a random thing for such a random author that _never_ updates! Here's the make-up chapter from August. It's a bit short, but it's probably actually going to be the normal length for a few more chapters after this. **

**Poll is still up.**

 **Disclaimer: You can't spell Roosters With Black and Yellow Teeth without RWBY. So Roosters with Teeth own RWBY.**

Chapter 6: Highs and Lows of Being on the Run

"Who are you?" Ruby questioned with narrowed eyes.

Farayan reached up to give a self-conscious scratch to his neck but found his arms wouldn't respond. When he tried again, this time with more force, He was met with a dozen different muscle cramps, each sending jolts of pain shooting through his spine. "Well," Farayan groaned, "I can't use my arms for a while."

"Of course, you can't!" Ruby exclaimed, gesturing wildly at the enigma in front of her, "No one just stops a charging Nosorog like that with their bare hands. What are you?"

And just when Farayan was about to answer, Ruby doubled over as she clutched her chest, panting and coughing up a storm. Farayan knelt down beside her, his face masked with concern. "You alright?" he asked in a soothing voice.

Ruby shook her head, still bent over with droplets of red liquid spraying the grass below her. "Chest hurts," she struggled through a gasp of pain, "Aura will probably heal it in a day or so."

Farayan nodded in spite of himself as he tried to nudge Ruby onto her feet. "Come on," he slurred with a pained strain in his voice, "We have to move."

Ruby shook her head, her eyes shut to try and focus on dampening down the ache in her chest. "Can't," she groaned, now on her knees. "Hurts too much."

In the next moment, Ruby felt herself try and be nudged up onto her feet by Farayan's elbow. "Come on, Ruby," he coaxed, "There's probably more on the way now.

After another minute, Ruby finally stood up, one arm draped over Farayan's shoulders, as they walked away from the battlefield. "You still have to answer my questions," Ruby grumbled.

Farayan let out a tired laugh while his eyelids drooped, exhaustion just now catching up as the adrenaline left his body. "Alright. Once we're away, I'll talk."

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

The sun was starting to dip in its arch when the two teens rested, both tired as their wounds healed themselves. Farayan was the first to collapse on his feet as he leaned against a tree for support. "Let's," he panted, "Let's rest here."

Ruby stumbled towards another stump before she also was sitting at the base, sighing as her legs felt like they would revolt if she had to take another step. "How much farther?" she asked, "You said you could smell the next town, right?"

Farayan nodded while taking a deep breath along with the scents around him. "Somewhere over there," he announced as he vaguely waved his arm in the general direction on his left, "A day or two of walking I think." Farayan could hear Ruby groan as she flopped onto her side, pulling her cloak over her like a blanket. He had to laugh at her little fit. "At least you have something to walk in," he chided, "Look at me." Farayan gestured to his ruined hoodie and the size-too-big boots on his feet.

Ruby peered from behind her cape as she cracked a smile. "Yeah," she agreed with a small, teasing and very poorly concealed giggle. "Yang's friends would probably faint if they just looked at you."

"Great." Farayan shook his bowed head, but a smile was still present on his lips. "That's just hunky-dory." That only made Ruby laugh harder, a snort coming up every few seconds as she was too tired to try and stop it. "What?" Farayan demanded with a red face.

"No one," Ruby gasped between breaths, "No one uses that anymore. That's like… four years old." And then Ruby's giggles started right back up again.

Farayan rolled his eyes, giving her a pained smile. It didn't take long for him to be reminded of how much time he lost in a lab. "I'm sorry if I like the old days more," he remarked, sarcasm dripping off his words.

Her laughs finally subsided as Ruby gestured towards Farayan. "You're probably younger than I am," she exclaimed, "You can't make that 'In my days' claim here!"

This would've gone on for another couple of back-and-forth banters, but Ruby's stomach had something to say. Mainly, a low growl that even Farayan could hear. Covering her stomach with her crossed arms didn't help much to dampen the noise, either. "You hungry?" Farayan asked through his own knowing smile.

In response, Ruby blushed and cocooned herself in her cape. "Yeah," she admitted.

Farayan tested out his arms, hearing a few audible cracks and pops in his joints and feeling a few stinging sensations from his muscles. But it was still a significant improvement compared to what he'd been bearing hours before. "I'll go get us something," he announced, stumbling to his feet.

Ruby opened her mouth to protest his condition, but her stomach was faster as it let out another growl that Ruby could feel up her throat. "Fine," she relented. As Farayan walked off into the forest, she yelled after him, "Don't go far."

Five minutes passed, and Ruby was on her back while she tried to get comfortable on the rock-hard ground, trying to find a spot to rest her still aching chest. When ten minutes when by, she started to worry but put off the feeling because it hadn't been _that_ long. By fifteen minutes, She was almost ready to bolt into the forest when Farayan strolled through the brush at the edge of Ruby's vision. He gave her a jaunty smile that she returned, the worry subsiding out of her system. "You have anything to cook these?" Farayan held up the two objects he held in his hands.

Ruby wished she hadn't looked. She ducked her head under her hood, trying to forget the image of the two dead squirrels Farayan held with triumph. "We can't do that," she shouted.

Farayan tilted his head. "Why not?" he asked, "You're not vegetarian, are you?"

"It's not that." Ruby turned away from Farayan entirely. "That's… that's weird!"

Sighing, Farayan sat down at the tree he sat under before his hunt as he hoisted the two creatures up so they wouldn't get dirty. "Would it be better if we ate it raw?" he questioned with an eyeroll. And with that remark, Ruby was all on board with cooking the two morsels.

As the sun started to dip below the horizon, Farayan and Ruby were seated around a small makeshift campfire, stomachs full and spirits high. A spent cartridge of gunpowder from Ruby was strewn somewhere to the side, its fire Dust and powder used up as the starter for the improvised fire they laid around, and near both figures were the remains of their meal speared through two sticks, both with ends singed black by the fire.

Ruby sighed with content as she curled up next to the fire, but that brief pang of horror didn't leave her as her eyes drifted towards the poor squirrels for a moment. "I can't believe I just ate that," she marveled.

Farayan licked the last of the taste off his fingers and lips. "I've had worse," he claimed, "At least I could taste it." Ruby glanced at him with a perplexed smile. "Don't ask. It was about as bland as cardboard."

After an exhausting day and a dinner (while skipping breakfast and lunch), Ruby was ready to not move for the rest of the night and most of tomorrow. And judging by Farayan's grunt as he stretched out his joints, neither was Farayan.

Ruby laid back, staring up at the darkening sky as she tried to wrap her head around how her life took such a dramatic shift. "How'd this happen to me?" she wondered aloud, "I wanted to be a Huntress, but now…"

"You're on the run with a fugitive from another kingdom?" Farayan supplied, his grim smile hidden from Ruby's view.

"More like kidnapped," Ruby snorted.

"Hey, I didn't drag you into this mess," Farayan shot back.

"You kinda did."

Farayan didn't respond for a couple of seconds. Then, a groan from the mysterious boy was enough of an answer for Ruby to laugh in triumph. "At least you can go back to your old life," Farayan started to tease. But a second later, Ruby could feel the tiredness flood Farayan even from across the campfire. "Me? I don't know what I'm going to do."

As she sat up, Ruby called out, "Speaking of which…" Farayan lifted himself just enough to gaze at Ruby over the tips of his knees. "You still owe me some answers."

Farayan let out a low groan and sat back up. His face was masked with a mixture of confusion, and, with the new tired look in his eyes, Farayan seemed to age an extra five years as he sat there. But, he still had that air of willingness and determination. "What do you want to know?"

Ruby's eyes were set on the boy in front of her, the normally light and bouncy girl now stoic as she asked, "What are you?"

His mouth quirked at her question. "Farayan Shen. Next one."

"Alright, why are you on the run?" Ruby tried again with a roll of her eyes.

Farayan's expression went dark despite the fire still lively in between them. "Because Atlas is a twisted, horrifying place that experiments with everything," he growled.

Ruby visibly flinched back at how feral Farayan sounded towards Atlas. "But why are you running?"

"I'm one of the experiments."

Now, Ruby jumped up and away from Farayan and the warmth of the fire. "You're _what_?" she shouted. Her interviewee only responded with a nod. "But… bu-…" Ruby stammered, "What kind of experiment?"

It took a while before Farayan made himself answer as he drew small circles in the dirt with his finger. "They tried to put a Grimm in me," he said, no more than a whisper.

Farayan heard Ruby gasp, and he didn't have to look up to know she had a horrified and shocked look plastered on her face. "And now they'd rather kill me off than let the world know I exist," he scowled, "Just because they don't know what 'humanity' means."

Ruby gawked at the hybrid still looking at the ground. "But your healing," she protested, "The wings that you talked about- that wasn't a Semblance? You didn't have an Aura for that?"

Now, it was Farayan's turn to look up in confusion. "Aura of what? What's a Semblance?" he asked.

Ruby saw that was going to get her nowhere, so she waved him off. "Forget about it. So, what did they do to you?"

"Blood infusions," Farayan answered, "They gave some of my blood to the… _thing_ , and in turn, they gave some of its to me."

Ruby was nodding along in horror until Farayan got to the last part. Then, her expression turned into one of confusion. "I didn't know Grimm bled," she inquired. When Farayan gave her another of his puzzled faces, she explained, "I haven't seen a Grimm bleed. It's usually just a bunch of red under the skin."

A shiver went down Farayan's spine as he started to realize the implications hidden in Ruby's message. "I did give it some of my blood," he tried, "Maybe that's how it happened."

"Maybe…" It was a while before Ruby asked her next question. "So, that Grimm you… took from," she drawled.

"Yes?"

"What powers do you have?"

That was much more interesting of a question than Ruby realized when Farayan answered, "Wings, quills," He started to tick off his fingers with every new power, "strength, night vision-."

"Wait, back up." Ruby stuck her hands out like she was trying to plug the flow of knowledge from getting to her. "Night vision?"

Farayan looked at her with a bemused expression. "Yeah. How do you think I could see so well last night?" Ruby blushed and motioned for him to go on. "Other than that voice thing I did, I think that's it."

"Speaking of which," Ruby rubbed her arm self-consciously, "How _did_ you copy my voice?"

Farayan shrugged as he replied, "I don't know. It was spur of the moment thing, you know?"

Ruby laughed, cheeks turning a rosy red, before asking, "Could you maybe do Yang's voice?" Farayan gave her a confused look before she clarified, "My sister- the blonde you met yesterday with me."

"Ah." Farayan scrunched his eyebrows together as he tried to recall her voice. A few trial sentences were muttered under his breath, each getting pitch by pitch closer to the real thing. Then, louder, Farayan asked, "Is this right?" But it didn't sound like Farayan- it was almost eerie how similar he sounded to Yang.

Even though it sent shivers down Ruby's spine, she couldn't help but laugh as she applauded Farayan, drawing another faint blush from the Grimm-human hybrid. And she went on to ask for a few more voices. Some of them, the older ones that were well known, Farayan could do, but Ruby was baffled that he didn't know who Casey Williams was, let alone know how she sounded like.

Now with all of that, Ruby tilted her head up in thought, wracking her brain through every possible Grimm she'd ever heard of. "Mm…" Ruby hummed, "I don't think I know which Grimm could've given you all that. What did it look like?"

That was the wrong thing to say- especially then, in a dark forest- as Farayan shivered just enough for it to be visible to Ruby while clutching his legs to his chest. "It was…" He struggled to think of a description that felt accurate, "It looked like a mess, to be honest. A bunch of other Grimm parts strapped together on a body. Nevermore wings, an Ursa's body, Beowolf claws, and its face." He shuddered again, "It looked almost human."

Ruby froze at the last detail, the only sound between them was the soft crackling of the fire in an otherwise silent night. "That's not right," Ruby managed out, "There's nothing that looks like that."

Farayan was about to give her the small detail that it actually talked to him, but the visible horror and anger painted on Ruby's face made him throw that plan out the window. "I think I can still trust my own eyes," Farayan protested.

Again, Ruby went to open her mouth for a retort, but the only thing that came out was a loud, wide yawn that blurred her vision. She blushed under the gaze of Farayan's small smirk. "It's too late," she whined as she cast her eyes above at the stars, "Can we talk tomorrow?" She barely managed to get the words out before another yawn took her hostage.

Farayan nodded, the smile permanent on his face, as he kicked a bit of dirt onto the fire, dulling it down with every kick. Before long it was just a few smolders sizzling out along with the chirping crickets around them. And it was Farayan's turn to let out a jaw-widening yawn. He was turning to Ruby to give a quick "good night" when he saw she was already asleep, snoring softly with her cape overturned to act like a blanket. "Sweet dreams," Farayan let out before he too fell asleep.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"That's discriminatory!"

"How so? Every faunus I've ever encountered in my-."

"That's because every one of them you've talked to is either a White Fang member or at the mercy of your business!"

Yang sighed as she rubbed her tired eyes, her face in her hands. They'd been arguing for every free second they could, and neither seemed like they were ready to let up. And it was even worse that Weiss was blaming Ruby's capture on Blake instead of the boy, Farayan. Yang couldn't say Weiss was wrong because Blake did make him run away, but if she agreed with her, there'd be a strong chance Blake would just cut her ties and run off. "Most of the faunus I've seen have either been degenerates on the run," Weiss sniffed, "since that's what the White Fang is entirely made of."

"And yet you still judge our kind-."

"Just shut up for a second!" Yang exploded through the argument, "Both of you!" Her glare swept over her teammates as she went on, "Weiss, you know Blake isn't like that, so stop bringing her race into all of this. You can't just say all faunus are evil, so don't." Blake started to wear a smug expression before her partner turned on her. "And you." Yang struggled to find the words to say. In the end, she shouted, "Just… just stop arguing."

The heiress and the faunus had the decency to look ashamed as they muttered out a few low apologies, but not to each other. But just when Yang thought it was safe enough to sigh in relief, Weiss muttered, "This doesn't change my view, though."

Blake had to jump away from Yang as her hair became smoldering hot as the fiery blonde whirled around with red eyes. Weiss even took a couple of steps back as Yang stomped over to Weiss. "My sister is actually kidnapped," Yang steamed, almost in disbelief, "And I still can't get you to talk about anything than your issue with Blake over something she was born with!" A couple of deep breaths later, Yang changed direction and stormed to the door.

"Where are you going?" Blake was almost afraid to ask.

"To punch something," Yang growled, "If I stay here any longer, I might punch one of you." And the door slammed shut behind her, leaving the two remaining members of RWBY in a stunned silence. From the other side, Yang was rolling her shoulders and popping the joints in her fingers, groaning all the while, but she wasn't at her stretches. Now that her thoughts weren't jumbled and stuffed with Blake and Weiss's arguments, it was plagued by concern for Ruby. This wasn't the first time Ruby had been alone for more than a day- she did this pretty frequently back in Signal on dozens of day-long exterminations-, and it might not have even been the most dangerous thing to happen to her considering what happened during Initiation.

But Yang was still scared. This Farayan she was with was a complete mystery, and Ruby wasn't exactly renowned for her "people skills". And since they couldn't find her weapon in the forest, it meant that the guy now had Ruby as a hostage _and_ a sniper-scythe at his disposal: as if his quill defense wasn't enough of a warning.

Yang yelled out another groan as she trudged through the cool, brisk air of Vale's fall. Maybe punching something would help, she thought.

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Morning came too soon for Farayan; it seemed like night had passed in the blink of an eye while day came in another. Sunlight brushed against eyes while birds flew overhead in the red sky, chirping their merry tunes, oblivious of Farayan and Ruby who couldn't be more at peace. A few minutes of this ringing in Farayan's ear was enough to bring him back from the world of dreams, and another few minutes got the hybrid-human to stretch his arms out and up with a wide yawn.

Or at least, that's what would've happened. His right arm was trapped underneath something while a thin piece of fabric covered most of his body. Looking over, Farayan found a mop of reddish-black hair covering a girl's head as she rested against the crook of his shoulder as his hand wrapped loosely around her waist. He didn't make anything of it due to his exhaustion, even after his hours of sleep, so Farayan went back to relaxing, his eyes closing as they felt like lead. Then, three seconds passed as the implications and events rushed into his mind at once.

Farayan had no idea how Ruby managed to sleep with him without waking him up.

He was torn between horror, tension, and wanting to go back to relaxing, but he was leaning more towards freaking out.

And now, after all of this, he had no idea what to do to get out of this situation. Slip out from underneath? He most likely couldn't do that without waking Ruby up. Just wait? That would probably be the worst idea. Wake her up? No, _that_ one was actually the worst idea. Pretend he was asleep and let Ruby wake up first? That would've been as bad as the others he thought of.

And Farayan's decision was made for him when Ruby stirred. Every muscle in the teen's body froze up as Ruby curled her arms around his chest as if he was one of her pillows from home. A ghost of a smile played on Ruby's lips as she sank deeper into the warmth, then she frowned at the fact that she could feel the rise and fall of her pillow. Something that shouldn't be happening. So, with a quiet yawn, Ruby pulled back and looked up at blue eyes that were staring back at her, hoping they'd still be alive after this mess. "Morning?" Farayan squeaked, trying on a smile.

Ruby yelled with a mixture of horror and embarrassment. She tore herself away from Farayan and scrambled away, kicking up dirt and drawing surprised yelps from the pillow she used. When she finally calmed down, now a couple of yards away from Farayan, on the opposite side of their burnt-out campfire, Ruby glared at her companion. "What were you doing?" she demanded with a small blush.

"Me?" Farayan retorted, "You're the one that came on my side!"

"How do you know that?" Ruby was blushing such a deep crimson that she had to cover herself with her hood or else Farayan might've mistaken that she was getting sick. Farayan himself was no better. "You were the one that woke up first!"

Farayan searched around for anything that could've backed up his point. "The place where I kicked up the dirt!" Farayan exclaimed, "I did that to put out the fire last night!" But Higher Powers were not on his side since it looked like either Farayan didn't make as deep of an impression into the ground as he thought, or there was the wind the night before that smoothened out the patch ( **AN: I'll go with choice A** ).

And now they were back to square one. They went through trying to remember the position of the trees, where they were in relation to the sun, everything. But the night before was a haze besides their talk. "Look," Farayan conceded, "Let's just never talk about this again. Okay?"

Ruby nodded, but her blush was still present. "Alright," she agreed, finally getting onto her feet. "So, where are we headed now?"

Farayan took another sniff around before pointing to his right. "There's a lot of people I can smell-."

"Aha!" Ruby exclaimed as she pointed a finger towards Farayan triumphantly, "You pointed straight at me last night when I asked the same thing, so then that means…" She trailed off with a look of realization, "We… both… moved."

Neither wanted to speak for a long time. Even a person in Mistral could feel the waves of awkwardness wave off the two teens in entire tsunamis of embarrassment. "So," Farayan blurted while jumping to his feet, "Walking."

"Yeah, that." Ruby sighed in relief as the two of them started a brisk walk in the town's direction, trying their hardest to ignore the other without losing sight of each other. The tension between them was almost visible when they locked eyes once. The moment after, Ruby and Farayan jerked their heads away with their blushes reappearing right where they used to be.

The awkwardness between the two didn't subside until the sun was high in the sky and the trees started to thin into another clearing. Ruby continued to walk along, but Farayan's arm jutted out in front of her as he stepped forward, sniffing the air with the same expression he had when stared down the Nosorog. A few more deep breaths and his eyelids flew open. "You can come out, now," Farayan yelled out into the trees.

Confusion set into Ruby as she turned around, but nonetheless, she hefted her scythe in her arms. For a heartbeat or two, Ruby was sure Farayan had to be mistaken, but brushes started to rustle and twigs snapped as a girl stepped out of the shadows. "I don't understand how you spotted me," the girl replied in a monotone voice.

Farayan's breathing quickened as a bit of panic started to set in. He pushed the lump in his throat down as he asked, "Who are you?"

The girl, with her emerald-green eyes and bright orange hair, looked like she belonged to one of the schools. Especially with the aloof expression that was only slightly serious for the matter at hand. And with her choice of clothes- a green and gray dress with one of the weirdest and longest pairs of boots Farayan had ever seen-, she had to be from somewhere formal. "I will be your capturer for today," the redhead replied.

"Over my dead body," Farayan growled, inching away from the girl despite her not advancing.

"Please don't," the girl responded, "It would be more peaceful if you'd just come with me." Farayan's glare didn't change. She sighed, "I was hoping you would not choose this." Her expression brightened, "Luckily, I am always combat ready."

 **AN: You know, I can work fast when I really want to. It's just that I gotta get in the mood for it.**

 **Hey guys, Fireflame here. I'm proud to present the next installment of Lusus Naturae, even if it's late by a couple of weeks. So now it looks like I have around 10 days each for the other two chapters this month. Great. You can tell I'm great at planning things out in advance when it comes to schedules.**

 **Anyway, back to the actual story. Yep, I said I would be adding Penny in, and here she is. This was probably the only time I could fit her in without making it seem rushed or crammed in, and it also fits the timeline for my story. Actually, that's a lie. I'm definitely fitting Penny into one more role later in this story, but that'll have to wait.**

 **And speaking of lies, I had another one. Remember how I said in chapter 2 or 3 that I already have plans to kill one of the characters you've already seen? Yeah, that was a lie.**

 **It's actually two.**

 **Well, two that I've introduced so far. If I want to take this story all the way into Volume 3, there's going to be havoc on Vale. But I wouldn't worry about that yet, and even then it would probably be less of a death toll than what Rooster Teeth did in the actual episodes.**

 **And reviews!**

 **Shadow: thank you! Keep reading, and there's more where that came from.**

 **AHBookworm7: Not the Schnee's! Seriously, though, no Jaques. I mean, there's something higher than a General, right? Like a Director or President or something. I'll just make up a name later for that. And I actually didn't think anyone would realize that girl was Winter- good catch. As for Ruby and Farayan, I'm probably going to keep it platonic. It's more fun to mess around with friendship bonds than relationship bonds. Relationships can be broken, and that's about it. But friendships- ooh, there's an entire spectrum I could choose from. "Do I take it seriously", "breaking friendships", "exploitation", "tension options"- I can work more with that.**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Longest review so far. Congrats. Yep, the only thing that makes Salem more cliche than that would be an aristocratic French accent, and you've got yourself a Bond villain.**

 **The backer for Lusus Naturae- I can't give away all these hints and spoilers. A guy's gotta have his secrets, huh? Well, girl, but Treuse doesn't count.**

 **Don't talk to me about governments. I barely understand the different ones we have on this planet- I'm not going to try and reason with ones in a show (translation: I've thought about it, and all I can say is, "It's complicated, it's dumb, and I wish I didn't think about it).**

 **NO. I am NOT killing Roman. You can't make me! He's the best villain I've seen since the Joker (though Gaston was pretty good from Beauty and the Beast, just because the actors that played him were comically masculine). I'd sooner kill off Ruby than kill of Roman, and you know how much I'd love to hang onto Ruby. Just the material I could use for Ruby and Roman alone makes them my favorites.**

 **And there's your Penny. I take consideration in my readers, but in all honesty, you just reminded me of a small plot idea I had a few months ago for this story. Thanks for that. And for Farayan's powers... I'm not answering. Not because I don't know, but because of plot details. I'd be giving too much away and giving too much potential to him if I just listed every power he has, dormant or not.**

 **And back to Penny... Your guesses have come too close to truths that I think you and I share the same mind. She doesn't have an override command like the bots Atlas has that Roman and Cinder exploited, I'm giving it a more... theatrical button that's more sensible.**

 **Anyways, that's all I have to say. I'll see you in a week or two!**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	7. Chapter 7: Secrets Revealed

**AN: Look, guys, I'm sorry. I've been busy with school, standardized tests, and just life in general. And I'm lazy. But in all seriousness, thank you for sticking around, because life is going to get even more hectic. And chapters may be like this one- last moment ones. And with that out of the way, enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. If I did, this entire thing would be over by Volume 5. So if it does, it might mean I own it even if I don't.**

Chapter 7: Secrets Revealed, Questions Arise

Ruby put herself between Farayan and the redhead in front of them, Crescent Rose already aimed and ready to fire. "You're not taking him back to the lab," she yelled at the girl.

The girl tilted her head to the side as her eyes whirled, studying Ruby so deeply that she started to squirm under the gaze. "Ruby Rose," the girl greeted with a smile, "You don't understand. I'm here to rescue you from this boy."

"Rescue?" Ruby echoed, "Farayan didn't kidnap me, he was trying to protect me!"

"And not let your team find you?"

"I could've died then," Ruby shouted back, "Farayan was just making sure I didn't by taking me with him."

The girl narrowed her eyes at the red reaper in front of her, barely fazed. "I must insist on you to stand aside," she warned, "My anger is only directed to this creature behind you."

Ruby didn't back down in spite of the redhead's warning. If anything, her comment about Farayan only enraged her more. "Farayan's not an 'it'," Ruby exclaimed, "Just because Altas experimented on him doesn't make him human!"

The redhead was opening her mouth to shoot off another calm retort before Farayan interrupted. "And if I'm not human, what are you then?" He watched as the girl's infuriatingly aloof eyes widen in horror and panic. "I think you know what it means to not be one," Farayan challenged.

The girl in green took an unwilling step back, her expression similar to if she had an object lodged in her throat. "I don't-," she stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about." She hiccupped slightly before her hands reached up and clamped against her mouth.

"Are you sure?" Farayan stepped forward with a bit more confidence as he took another whiff of the girl opposing them. "You don't smell like a human." At that, he received a questioning raised eyebrow from Ruby, asking for answers. "Everything smells different to me," he explained, "Faunus, humans, Grimm- they all have their distinct smells. That's how I can smell the village a day's walk away." His gaze raised back to the girl. "And how I can smell that you're not human or Faunus."

The girl looked between Farayan and Ruby, her brain whirling 'round and 'round as she debated how much of her nature she could reveal. "I'm human," the girl exclaimed with another hiccup, "I have my own Aura, and I'm training to be a Huntress in Atlas. Why do you think I'm not?" Another hiccup.

Farayan took another experimental breath, trying to identify the girl's scent. A few seconds passed, then Farayan snapped his fingers. "That's where I remember it from," he proclaimed, "It's the same smell as the bots I saw in Atlas." And in the next second, Farayan realized what he just said. "Oh," he breathed.

Now, Ruby's eyes were as wide as the girl's own while her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out of the redhead. Eventually, she let out a sigh as her secret was revealed. "Must you have revealed that?" the girl asked with slumped shoulders. The redhead then shook off her disappointment as she smiled back at Farayan. "Well, at least you won't be able to tell anyone when you're back in Atlas."

"What are you?" Farayan growled.

The girl rolled her eyes. And in a monotone voice, like she was reciting from a script, she responded, "Penny Polendina. Personnel for Entering Normalcy with Neurotic Yielders." ( **AN: I have no idea how I managed that acronym, so don't count on much more. I just thought it deserved one.** )

Ruby blinked at Penny with a blank gaze. "Wait, so you _are_ a robot?" she questioned in disbelief. Penny nodded back, still with that infuriatingly happy smile. "With a Semblance and Aura? How is that possible?"

"I am the first of my kind," Penny replied, "My programming is 100 percent unique to compensate for my Aura," she gestured at the rest of her body, "And, as you can see, for my personality as a human."

Back with Farayan, he took on a look of curiousness with a tilt to his head. "And can you answer the questions about this mission of yours to hunt me down?" he asked. A wave of emotions flickered over Penny's face as her feelings tried to fight her programming, trying to find a way to make herself not tell Farayan. In the end, Penny sighed as she nodded her head. "Thanks," Farayan smiled, "What do you know about the experiment done on me?"

"Project Lusus Naturae," Penny recited, her eyes staring ahead at nothing and her voice monotone. Farayan started to get hopeful before she went on, "A program designed to enhance production and resilience in subjects with genetic manipulation."

Farayan spat out a curse low enough that Ruby, who stood just a few feet away, wasn't able to pick up what he said. "That's probably just the cover story for it," he presumed, "What happens if a test subject escapes Lusus Naturae?"

It was a minute before Penny spoke again. "Capture and decontaminate."

"Shady-Government Speak for 'kill it off'," Farayan snorted, "One last question: who is the backer of this experiment?"

"Director Ione," Penny forced out. Then, she stumbled back, gasping for breath as her Aura kicked her programming out of her system. "I was not supposed to reveal that," Penny squeaked in personal horror.

"What was that about?" Ruby demanded. But not to the girl in front of her. She pulled Farayan in whisper range by his sleeve. "We should've been running to the town."

"I could allow for you to leave, Miss Rose," Penny claimed ("Great, she has enhanced hearing," Farayan sassed), "But I can't let the test subject escape."

Farayan backed away a step. "And like I said- over my dead body."

The bot sighed as a few gears and pistons hissed to life somewhere on her back. "Atlas would rather have its projects not available to be seen by everyone," Penny said, "And Dr. Treuse would rather have you returned under her care." That set Farayan over the edge as he charged her, his forearms taking on the bone plating like they did in his last Grimm encounter.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

29 hours.

It was only then when Ozpin felt as if he had enough of a theory to completely expose this secretive Project with a dozen pieces of evidence. The dozen or so brown lip stains on his coffee mug were a testament to his dedication to this project of theirs, as was his wrinkled and disheveled clothes. Up on the projection, hundreds of tabs were opened with videos, documents, CFVY's accounts on the situation, and a variety of other things. But it all pointed in one direction.

And to say Ozpin was upset about it would be an understatement.

Ironwood started to redial Dr. Treuse's number before he stopped with a second thought. "You'll be the one who presents this information."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow at that. "And why's that?" he asked.

"Security reasons," Ironwood explained before going more in-depth, "If I were to present it, they could demand you to leave and not learn a single word said between Dr. Treuse and me."

Ozpin let out an exasperated sigh as the call started to connect. Moments later, a woman was staring back at them from the screen- the same brunette that had greeted them last time. "Atlas Government Services," she recited with a smile, "How may we help you?"

"I would like to speak to Dr. Treuse about Project Lusus Naturae," Ozpin answered calmly.

The brunette looked stunned for half a second before relenting. "Ma'am," she called to someone offscreen. The woman stood from her chair and walked away from the screen, and a minute or so later Dr. Treuse was leaning over the back of the intern's chair.

"Ozpin," the doctor greeted, "You know I can't give you any more information on the project."

Ozpin took a deep breath before rattling off, "Farayan escaped your complex four or so days ago when it was so-called attacked by a Grimm. He then left Atlas aboard the Bullhead to try and escape his capture if he were to stay in his kingdom. His abilities include voice mimicry, defensive quills, wings, and enhanced senses." He watched as an impassive Treuse stared back at him with calculating eyes. "How much of that was accurate?" Ozpin questioned.

After a minute of thinking over Ozpin's words, Dr. Treuse sighed in relief. "One last thing," she inquired, "You did notice the color of his powers, correct?"

"As black as Grimm," Ozpin answered with a knowing glimmer in his eyes.

Dr. Treuse laughed despite the situation. "Congratulations, Ozpin," she offered, "I can now give you the full details of project Lusus Naturae. And I assume Ironwood has informed you of the procedures?"

Off to the side, Ironwood cleared his throat before saying, "I have, and I also have overheard this entire conversation."

"So you have." Dr. Treuse finally donned a more serious expression as she asked Ozpin, "What do you want to know now?"

"What kind of Grimm is Farayan?" Ozpin demanded.

Ozpin was expecting a lot of things, but for Dr. Treuse to click her tongue in disappointment was not one of them. "Wrong question to ask," she chided, "Farayan is not a type of Grimm, only part of one." From Ironwood and Ozpin's raised eyebrows, she went on, "You realize how Aura transfusions work. Once someone has donated a part of their Aura to someone, that person is no longer fully themselves since a portion of the donator is now a part of them?"

Ozpin nodded before the implications hit him. "What did you do?" he said with a curse under his breath.

Dr. Treuse finally sat down in the chair as she typed a few things into the computer. "Since you are now officially in the loop, under my supervision, I can give you this with no burden on my conscience." As she said that, a soft ringing went off as a file was transferred to Ozpin's computer. When he opened it, a picture of something… Ozpin didn't know what kind of Grimm he was looking at, popped open. "This is what we call war'Din," Treuse introduced, "As you can see, we had perfectly good reason to keep this hidden from the public."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Back with Farayan, things with Penny were not going well. He was expecting the android to have some sort of less harmful objects than half a dozen animated swords. But in hindsight, this was an Atlesian military project he was talking about.

And then she started to control the swords like a puppeteer.

Ruby tried to rush at her with a quick swipe of her scythe, but Penny batted away the blow with a circle of swords that spun in front of her like a shield. She then hopped back, putting some distance between her and Ruby, and threw one of her blades at Ruby. The scythe-wielder used her speed and dashed off to the side as the sword embedded itself into the tree behind her, sinking a foot of blade in solid wood before stopping with a resounding _twang_.

During all of this commotion, Farayan was able to sneak up on Penny with barely a noise. As Penny threw the sword at Ruby, he took a chance and leaped at her with a short cry. His charge was stopped abruptly when the android used the other five blades and circled them around her waist, protruding out like three-foot spikes. "That's just not fair," Farayan cursed while he threw himself back. The whirling blades cut through the air where he'd been previously.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Ozpin and Ironwood studied the monstrosity of a Grimm with dark expressions, making comments now and then about some of its attributes. "Resistance to temperature," Ironwood listed in disbelief, "Mimicking personalities and voices, ability to morph limbs into various Grimm-types, enhanced stamina, strength, and speed?" Ironwood had to scoff at how powerful this creature sounded. "We would have known if something like this existed due to its nature."

At his comment, Dr. Treuse shook her head. "No, they wouldn't. This war'Din is the first and only of its kind that we know of. And I don't know how we would be able to handle an entire _species_ of these things."

As Ironwood and Treuse bickered over a few details, Ozpin kept reading ahead. But, a certain comment below an entire page dedicated to graphs and charts struck him as oddly… unscientific. "Adaption to anything?" he read, "Surely that isn't feasible."

Dr. Treuse scoffed, "Just read the graph. How do you think we found out his immunity to hot and cold? The first time we obtained it, my initial reaction was to burn it and any of its remains. But this Grimm refused to show any sign that it was in pain. As we increased the temperature, its tolerance increased as well."

Ozpin shook his head. "That's biologically impossible," he stated, "There has to be some limit."

"If there is, we haven't found it yet."

Ozpin kept reading. "'When Grimm was opened with a scalpel,'" he read, "'the subject bled." The headmaster stared at Dr. Treuse with an imploring look. "How does this work with a Grimm and adaption?"

Dr. Treuse shrugged. "Honestly? We still have no clue. One theory is that by bleeding, the Grimm is able to heal from its wounds instead of dying over time as we've seen under other tests."

"Other tests?"

She cursed before waving Ozpin's almost angry expression away. "Not important to the discussion," she claimed, "What you need to understand is that this creature will do anything to survive. It was working well enough when we had it in captivity since we weren't killing it- at least not after our initial thoughts."

"Instead," Ironwood remarked, "you turned it into a biological weapon, inserted it into a thirteen-year-old boy, and let it loose on Vale."

"That's a gross overstatement," Dr. Treuse snapped, "Farayan Shen was our best candidate for this experiment- young enough to adapt and learn while also being hardened and old enough to bear the burden of its change." The doctor sighed. "What you have to understand is that Farayan is not to be blamed for any of this. Do not use lethal means unless there is no other option. And subdue him quickly- if the fight drags on, he will find a flaw in anything. And I do mean anything."

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Penny was trying to do just that, but it proved harder than she thought it would. Farayan would only hop out of the way of all of her attacks while also trying to sneak into her guard, only to be shut down by the spinning blades around her waist. Eventually, he yelled at Ruby who was still fending off two of the bot's blades, and the pair set off into the forest again. As they weaved their way between the trees and stumbled through bushes, a thick slicing noise filled the air with the same sense of dread as one of a chainsaw. Thankfully, there weren't any trees that were falling around them, but the bushes weren't as fortunate.

And in the next moment, Farayan felt a prickle in the back of his neck. Just on a hunch, he ducked back into a roll while a sword stabbed the air where his arm used to be. The sudden shift as Farayan was now on offense instead of running away caught Penny by surprise, but it wasn't quick enough as she flipped away from the sweep Farayan threw out. Even so, she didn't account for the blades that were already out and the tangle of wires that ensued. With the flip, the cords tightened and bound Penny up, and eventually, the razor-thin wires started to cut through her. Penny managed to retract the blades back towards herself, surrounding the redhead in a vortex of blades and wires. When it stopped being a blur, Penny's swords were hovering around her like tentacles, but the cuts against her "skin" were visible even from a distance, exposing some sort of metal underneath.

Farayan himself didn't escape without a few scrapes of his own. When Penny's blades retracted, he scrambled away back towards Ruby, cursing every time a wire grazed his body as another nick was made in his skin. Still n his hands and knees, Farayan peered over his shoulder only for his eyes to widen when he saw Penny and her swords hovering threateningly around her, but that wasn't what made Farayan so frightened. It was the ball of energy forming between the ring of blades, growing larger and larger as the air hummed with unkept power.

"Oh, come on!" Farayan exclaimed. He tried to run, but it wasn't fast enough. The ball of green energy expanded until it was almost as big as Penny herself when she released it. In the next moment, there were no more trees behind Farayan for the next mile or so, and the ground was scorched and barren of any green with a small, curved gorge digging into the now smoking ground. Farayan was better off than the trees, but not by much. Even though he pushed away at the last possible second, his back was covered with third-degree burns, the wind was knocked out of him, Farayan felt like he'd sat in an oven from the heat the beam let off, oh- and he also was missing a right hand.

A scream rang out from Farayan before it was muffled as he clasped down onto his tongue, his jaw as stubborn as cement while his body went into overtime to try and help him through the pain. Dimly, Farayan was aware of a redhead walking up to him along with the sound of metal scraping against metal. "Please surrender," Penny offered, her voice slurred and muted like it was coming from a long way away, "Anymore would likely kill you, and Dr. Treuse wants you as healthy as possible." If she said anymore, Farayan had no idea since the rush of blood to the stump of his hand emptied his brain as he resorted to focusing on living.

He didn't know if it was survival instinct or Penny's words, but something inside of him gave him a new fire to get through the pain. Swallowing another groan of pain, Farayan threw his uninjured hand under him, propping himself enough to push himself off the ground, even if it was just a few inches. Then, he was on his elbow. Then his hand and knees. And eventually, he got to a kneeling position. Farayan's brow was beaded with sweat, and his chest heaved with effort, but all of his efforts was turned to waste when he collapsed in an undignified pile of injuries. His willpower gone, and brain teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, Farayan relaxed as the man inside him sank into darkness.

And in the haze, the beast within snapped out of the cage.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Penny didn't mean to go that overboard- she still felt sorry for the trees in her warpath-, but at least she didn't underdo it. "Better safe than sorry" was a slogan most Atlesians could get behind, and it certainly applied here. After she released the beam at Farayan, Penny fell into a kneel, gears inside her whirring, sparks and clicks sounding from the dozen or so exposed wires inside her body that gave her life, and her "heart", nothing more than what looked like a severely enhanced engine that also housed her Aura, thumped painfully against her chest as if about to burst.

A small icon flashed against her vision, warning her of the various issues inside her system- overheating, broken circuits, and more- but the main issue she was worried about was her draining battery. Staying awake and active for almost three days straight, hunting Farayan down before expending a massive amount of energy to subdue him, was more than enough to deplete even the reserves. At this point, Penny was running on fumes and whatever Aura she could muster in herself.

But at least she was still better off than Farayan. He writhed in pain, holding the stump that used to be his hand to his chest as a few hisses of pain escaped him. "Please surrender," Penny pled. Now, it was more of a mercy to Farayan and herself to end it here instead of letting it drag on, "Anymore would likely kill you, and Dr. Treuse wants you as healthy as possible."

The surprise on Penny's face was evident when Farayan jolted a bit. And then he started to get up, slowly but surely. She was impressed by his resilience, but not exactly threatened as Farayan's body was trembling with so much effort that a sneeze would probably blow him off his feet.

Penny didn't have to wait long as Farayan stumbled before catching himself, and the second time he stumbled saw Farayan collapse onto the ground. He was silent now, save for a few deep breaths every second or so, either forgetting about the pain and sinking into unconsciousness or being overwhelmed by it. After a few seconds of waiting, just to make sure there was no fake-out, Penny let out a sigh of relief, retracting the swords back into their place on her back, before she pulled out her Scroll, entering a few commands in when her recently-found relaxed form stood rigid with horror and disbelief.

Farayan started to get back onto his feet.

And he wasn't swaying this time.

Penny scrambled back, her swords shooting out of her backpack like before, but she herself was dreading another round with Farayan. With the amount of energy she already lost and the rate it was being consumed, compensating for the handful of malfunctions in her body, Farayan had a very probable chance to come out on top.

Farayan let out a grunt and a hiss of pain as cracks and sounds of skin grating against skin rang in the air. When Farayan got to his kneel, Penny understood what the sounds were and gasped. His right hand, the one she was positive was incinerated and probably turned to ash by now, was growing back. But it wasn't natural at all, not even his new hand- it resembled more like a Beowolf's paw, the finger digits shorter but made deadlier by the claws growing at their tips. A black fur encased the bone and muscles as Farayan's new limb finalized its growth, confirming Penny's horror.

Farayan jerked his head up, staring deep into Penny's eyes. Penny was shocked to find that she wasn't looking back at Farayan's cobalt-blue eyes, but instead the same yellow and red-ringed eyes of a Grimm. He let out an inhuman snarl at the android, stumbling to his feet like he was drunk with pain.

Shaking her head clear of muddled thoughts, Penny directed one of her swords into Farayan's leg, but he recovered quicker than she expected- after the fact that he was able to recover after being grazed by her charged shot. With a speed that took her by surprise, Farayan rolled away as the blade stabbed into the earth.

Penny shifted her stance and threw two other blades at Farayan, now on his feet with both hands now encased with Grimm fur. As they closed in on their target, the skin on Farayan's arms bubbled and blistered, his arm thickening while the white substance being made hardened in its place along his arm. The second before the blades arrived, Farayan raised his arms up and parried away the swords. Penny stepped back in surprise with her eyes wide with horror, but Farayan didn't mirror the expression. Using this brief moment of hesitation, Farayan rushed forward with a speed unheard of for someone in his condition.

Her nerves steeled, Penny used her remaining swords to make a spinning system between the two combatants. As Farayan continued to charge forward, she recalled the other two blades, trapping Farayan from three directions so the only way out was backward, or he'd face injury. He decided to find a third option, though, when he saw the razor-thin wires glimmering in the sunlight, the whirring sound giving away Penny's plan. To go against her intentions, Farayan skidded to a halt as he turned around and crouched into a catcher's stance- arms out and outstretched, ready to snatch anything out of the air no matter its speed.

Penny couldn't stop her blades' motions or even make them go any faster since all of her energy was being pushed to the limits. This gave Farayan the chance to shoot his arms out and grab ahold of her weapons. Their force still dragged the Grimm-human with them, straight into Penny's waiting windmill of swords. It was starting to look hopeful for Penny, but her hopes turned to horror when Farayan reversed the blades dragging him forward, their points aimed straight at the android.

And as she was locked into this final gambit, Penny helplessly watched Farayan tuck himself into a ball just as the two sets of swords collided. Metal screeched against metal as Farayan's pair forced their way into Penny's set, halting the four swords for an instant before Farayan's two snapped.

But that instant was enough as Farayan barreled through, crashing into Penny and sending them both to the floor. Once they skidded to a halt, Penny found herself pinned by a Farayan kneeling over her. Getting her bearings, Penny forced herself up by her hands, only to realize the pain she was feeling. Looking back, she duly noted the two swords in each of her arms- two through her biceps and two cutting a deep gorge into her elbows.

All her systems were failing. Penny had only a few drops left of life along with the Aura that was trying its hardest to keep Penny alive. Fighting now would've been impossible, given the fact that she couldn't move a single part of her body. Not even her mouth would shout in pain. She could only stare at the boy currently hovering over her, his bright yellow and red eyes full of rage and a calculated blankness. Her vision was filled with dozens of flashing images- critical battery, lost connection to arms, multiple wires fractured. At that moment, her entire goal was to do one thing.

Survive Farayan.

There was a rustling sound somewhere from her chest as another warning popped into her vision. _Breach in the abdomen_. Penny stared at Farayan for an instant longer before the warning finally registered in her brain. And looking down, her suspicion proved true- one of Farayan's clawed hands was digging into and through her chest, pulling cord after cord out of their place. After a few more were scattered off to the side, Farayan reached up and covered her eyes, a few scratches here and there were the only thing letting her know that Farayan was still looming over her. With her rapidly depleting battery and labored breaths, it wouldn't take long until all her vitals were gone now.

Finally, something decided to go her way. A red blur tackled Farayan off Penny, not that she noticed. She was already flickering between on and off, trying her hardest to take in her next breath.

"What were you doing?!"

Farayan shook his head to clear away the fuzz in his brain after being knocked down. As soon as it was gone, he scrambled up, arm already reeled back for a punch. Then he got a good look at his new attacker. "Ruby?" he asked with furrowed brows, "I thought I told you to run."

"You were going to kill her," Ruby screamed, eyes wide with horror. "You… you…" She turned around to the body behind her, and her breath hitched again with a mixture of emotions. "She's dead," Ruby whispered.

"She's not," Farayan grunted while he got to his feet. "She's a robot, and Penny's still running. I was trying to-."

"You were trying to _kill_ her," Ruby screamed, turning back to Farayan.

"She's a robot!"

"She has a soul!" Ruby exclaimed, "You can't just kill something with a soul like that! It's the same as killing a person."

Farayan wanted to fire back a retort, any retort, but at that moment a soft beeping filled the air. The pair turned back to Penny, and they stared in wonder at the small red light at the tip of her nose. With every beep, the light flashed on and off like a beacon. Farayan pulled on Ruby's shoulder, trying to get her to move, but she threw him off. "We have to help her," Ruby claimed.

"We don't," Farayan denied, "Someone's going to pick her up. Look at the beacon." Farayan gave another tug. "Come on." It took a few more to get Ruby moving on her feet, and then the two were off and into the forest, leaving the poor redhead to chance.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Ozpin leaned back in his chair, absorbing the influx of information that was presented to him. "So that's it then," he snorted, "We are hunting down an experiment with the powers of half a dozen Grimm, along with the ability to adapt to most forms of attack, all inside the body of a boy that has had no say in any of this. Have I missed something?"

Dr. Treuse sighed from her end. "No, that about sums it up," she confirmed, unfortunately.

A small beep erupted from Ironwood's Scroll, making him jump before pulling it out. The other two were oblivious to his distraction. "And what makes you think I would return him back to you?" Ozpin asked.

"I don't." Ozpin blinked at Treuse's answer. "Kill him, take him into custody, give Farayan a new identity- I don't necessarily care. But you'd have Atlas demanding him back."

Ozpin was about to fire another question when Ironwood slammed a fist into the table, making the projection jolt and fizzle before coming back into focus. "James," Ozpin exclaimed.

"What did you do?" Ironwood demanded.

Now, Dr. Treuse was at a loss. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't lie!" Ironwood exclaimed, "Right now I have a distress call from Penny saying she's somewhere in Vale's forests, and her condition is far from being just 'lost'. What do you think you're doing?"

Dr. Treuse absorbed all this before she cursed. "Dammit, Ione! I told him to leave other projects out of this!"

"Excuse me," Ozpin interrupted, "What project named Penny?"

Ironwood growled before answering, "Personal project under my jurisdiction." He then glared at Dr. Treuse. "Something that I thought was only part of my command," he spat.

"I told Ione that he should leave this problem to Vale now," Treuse claimed through clenched teeth. "There was no reason to risk exposure of another dozen projects just to make sure one doesn't get away. And only a couple of Hunters with unique Semblances was needed to capture him."

Struggling to keep his rage, Ironwood stormed out of the office, the rage radiating off him only dying out when the elevator door closed. Ozpin's eyes followed him until he turned back to the woman on screen. "One last question."

"Fire away."

"Why does it seem like you'd rather let him get away than be under Atlas control again?"

The question was a bit surprising but still expected. Treuse sighed as she took off her glasses for a quick self-conscious cleaning. "I think you know how around how many ethics violations we are breaking just by putting Grimm blood in Farayan," she proclaimed. The glasses came back on. "I'll confess- I have a soft spot for him. He's got a lot of spirit for someone of his age." Another sigh. "I'd rather have him live a better life than what we'd give him- even if that means death or even prison. If you give him a new identity, even better."

"So you want him to just-."

"Walk away from the world." Treuse nodded. "Just promise me one thing.

"Don't kill Farayan if there's another way, whatever you do."

 **AN: And there it is. Hey, guys, Fireflame here. That's Chapter 7 done, and I've already almost killed off someone. I think that's a record. Also, I was really stretching for ways to make my fight seen "fun". I say fun with quotes because I can already hear people yelling at me for what I've done to Penny. Ah, the sweet joys of horror. They're only going to get even sweeter.**

 **Also, Ione means Purple flower in Greek Mythology. Regal, scientific, and outlandish. Just my style for a shady government backer. And war'Din is just an anagram. If you unscramble it, the name means perfect sense for the thing it's describing.**

 **Anyway, back to Reviews.**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Sorry, Penny got beat. Well, she was outlasted, so I guess it counts. Politics are still screwed up, and so am I. So I guess that doesn't make us similar. Though, in all fairness, from the excerpts and character backgrounds you've sent me, you are as well. What I'm going to do for Atlas government is more like a cliche shady government with all its flaws. Sort of like the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter- screwed up politicians, hidden agendas, but this time with more competent individuals. I really hope I answered the question of Farayan's blood transfusion, but if I didn't, let me know.**

 **AHBookWorm7: Thank you, I strive to ruin as many fictional lives as I could. Ooh, cover art?! Please, don't mind if I do. But in all seriousness, thank you for even considering it.**

 **And a quick poll update: Sisterly in the lead at 2, romantic at 0, and best friends at 0. I'll be honest, I'd rather do best friends because it's the most fun. I've got no experience with sisterly, and romantic doesn't seem right.**

 **And there's everything I have to say. I'll see the rest of you later.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	8. Chapter 8: Light in Darkness

**AN: Well look at that, it's an update.**

 **Yeah, sorry about that. Life hits you hard. And by you, I mean me, and by hard, I mean a ton of things to do in Junior Year of High school.**

 **Poll count: 3 for a sisterly relationship, 0 for all others.**

 **Disclaimer: I own RWBY if this chapter is uploaded by August of 2013. Well, I was late, so I don't.**

Chapter 8: Light in the Darkness

Even though it was Farayan that ran away first, dragging along a reluctant Ruby, his injuries wouldn't let him keep up the pace he was setting himself. A few minutes later, Farayan felt the effects of his adrenaline wearing off, and he found himself swaying in exhaustion. After that, Ruby was carrying most of their weight with Farayan hobbling along, wincing every time a breeze hit his back or a stumble jostled his tenderly-roasted spine. "Sorry," Ruby muttered for the umpteenth time as Farayan let out another hiss of pain.

A few seconds later, the corner of Farayan's eye twitched with the same sting felt in his back. "It's no good," Farayan groaned, "Set me down somewhere, please." Steps later, he found himself being lowered to the ground before he laid on his stomach, looking sideways at the shoes of the girl that carried him. "Thanks," he grumbled out.

"Don't thank me," Ruby huffed. She found herself a tree to lean against as she sat down. "You have some explaining to do."

Farayan winced again, this time not at a stabbing pain in his back, but a memory stabbing against his brain. "Did I really do that?" Farayan asked himself.

"What do you think?" Ruby snapped, "You were gonna kill a girl!"

"I wasn't trying to," Farayan exclaimed.

A baffled expression dawned on Ruby's face. "You weren't trying to?" she echoed, "There's a giant hole in her chest, and you didn't think that would _kill_ her?"

"I was trying to make sure that she wouldn't follow us again," Farayan defended, "As long as she was active, I wouldn't be able to stay away from Atlas."

"Then…" Ruby racked her brain for an appropriate answer. "You could've done something less horrible, like break her legs." She winced at her words. " _Great,_ " Ruby thought, " _I'm sounding like Nora now_." "Or even take out something necessary like her swords or something." Ruby couldn't help but notice Farayan turning over, not bothering to try and meet her eyes. She gasped, "You didn't."

After a moment of hesitation, Farayan fished something out of his pocket and tossed it over to the wary girl. Ruby caught it, opening her cupped hands, as she tried to process what was in her hands.

An eye. ( **AN: I may have changed a scene in the last chapter. Long story short: I'm sorry.** )

That belonged to a very memorable girl they had fought not an hour prior.

Ruby let out a violent retch as she dry-heaved, her brain ignoring the fact that the eye had a metallic feel to it with wires hanging out the back. It was still an eye to her, and it was sitting out of its rightful spot. And in her hands. She would've thrown up then and there, but her stomach was empty enough that she couldn't do much besides have her gag reflexes tested over and over again. After one final heave of air, Ruby got to her feet, still supporting herself against a tree. Without a word, she started to walk away.

Farayan heard the footsteps behind him, and so he flipped back around to see Ruby, with one hand against a tree, walking away. "Where are you going?" Farayan called after.

"Anywhere but here," Ruby shouted back, not bothering to turn around to look at the boy. "I'll go to town without you- don't know if you'll try to kill another person, right?" The last part was said in a dark, sarcastic voice. One that didn't match Ruby in the slightest.

"Ruby."

The girl in question barely turned her head to look back at a prone Farayan, his face lighting up with half of a smile. "What?" Ruby snapped.

"You're going the wrong way."

At his words, Ruby finally stopped trying to walk away as she let out a huff of frustration. She turned around to go the other way, but when she tried to pass Farayan, he grabbed her ankle. "Get off," Ruby demanded as she tried to kick away his hand.

Farayan held fast as he said, "You're still going the wrong way."

A quick, frustrated sigh escaped Ruby as she finally got Farayan's hand off her leg. Deciding not to make another wrong guess, Ruby sat at the base of a tree along Farayan's eyesight. "Then which way is the right way?" she demanded.

A few seconds went by as Farayan studied the girl in front of him, her arms crossed, a scowl marring her face. "I'm not telling you," he announced.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm still trying to keep you safe," Farayan answered.

This drew out a chuckle from Ruby, albeit a dark one. One filled not with humor, but an angry acknowledgment of the irony. " _You're_ trying to keep _me_ safe?" she echoed. Then, she snorted. "Well, I don't think I'll be wanting your version of safe."

Farayan groaned in frustration. "What do you expect me to say- I'm sorry?" he asked, "I'm sorry I went a bit overboard with Penny-."

"Overboard?" Ruby echoed, her tone accusing, "You put a hole in her chest! And you took out an eye!"

"She took off my hand," Farayan exclaimed, "And burned away my back."

That snapped Ruby out of her anger, but it put her mind into more confusion. "Wait," she started, "What?"

With a few grunts, Farayan managed to clamber over his knees and sat down as he winced every now and then whenever a muscle was strained in his back. He held up his fur-coated hand for Ruby to see, and the girl gasped at the sight. In place of where his hand should be, with its fingers and its similarity to its pair, Farayan's new hand looked more like a paw of a Beowolf. Complete with claws sharp enough to cut skin like butter and fur that matched his raven-black hair. "I guess this is my replacement," Farayan assumed, rolling his hand as he inspected the newest addition to his body while flexing his fingers.

Within a few seconds, Ruby was by Farayan's side, staring at his "hand" with a hint of regret flashing in her eyes. "And you didn't think it was important to tell me about this?" she asked.

"Well, you were yelling at me for what I did to Penny," Farayan pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

Anger briefly marred Ruby's face before it shifted back to concern. "Still," she drawled, "This happened to you because I left you instead of trying to help."

Farayan shook his head. "No, it's because I didn't expect her to pull out a giant laser out on me," he scoffed, "I swear, Atlas is getting way too science-fiction to violent solutions."

Ruby let out a small laugh, finally her smile returning, even if it was a slightly sad one. It was a while before either of them spoke again, just sitting there as Farayan tried to catch his breath while Ruby thought of something to say. The latter came first as Ruby squirmed a bit as she spoke, "I guess I should say thanks."

Farayan jerked his head up, surprised at the sudden change in mood. "For what?" he asked.

Feeling self-conscious, Ruby scratched the back of her neck while her cheeks tinted red just a bit. "For trying to protect me. You still shouldn't have hurt Penny that badly, but still… thanks, I guess."

A quick nudge by Farayan's elbow got Ruby out of her emotional blubbering. "You shouldn't thank me," he told her, "Think of it as just a repayment." When Ruby gave him a quizzical look, Farayan elaborated, "I was the one that dragged you into this mess, to begin with. I'm just trying to keep you safe since I feel responsible."

Now it was Ruby's turn to lightly nudge Farayan with her shoulder in comfort. "You didn't drag me in," she reassured, "I ran after you, so it's also my fault." Then, as she thought about that night, her eyebrows scrunched together in wonder.

Farayan knew something was off from the sudden darker aura as well as the huff Ruby let out. "What are you thinking about?" he inquired.

"Blake," Ruby grumbled to herself, "Why'd she shoot you?"

"Shoot me?" Farayan echoed before then the events came back to him, "Oh, right. She shot me."

Ruby jerked her gaze to stare at Farayan questioningly. "How do you forget that someone shot you?" she observed.

"Look," Farayan started as he rubbed his forehead, trying to relieve a headache that he knew was inevitable, "there's a lot that's happened in these past few days. It's the third time I've been shot at in the past couple of days, so details tend to slip the mind." Out of the corner of his eye, Farayan spotted Ruby silently amused at Farayan's exasperated tone despite the severity of his words. "Anyways, you were talking about Blake?"

Ruby's small smile turned back into a creased frown. "Yeah, I just don't get it. Why would she shoot at you just because you said she was a faunus? It shouldn't be that big of a deal."

She received a raised eyebrow from Farayan as a response. "You don't know faunus oppression?" he inquired, "Like, at all?"

despite the embarrassment in her reddening cheeks, Ruby let out a weak chuckle. "I wasn't the best history student," she confessed.

"That's not even history, though. It's still going on now."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "So, I'm worried more about my own problems- I just trying to be a Huntress, not the next leader of Vale."

Because of her cluelessness, Farayan sighed as he shook his bowed head, and Ruby let out an indignant "Hey!"

"You don't-," Farayan started before he thought better of it, "Nevermind. The point is faunus have been treated like dirt for a long time- especially in Atlas. The worst of the humans decided that they were beneath them because they were part animal. One thing leads to another, and you find yourself with an entire kingdom that can relate to this sentiment. Imagine how that looks for faunus-kind, and you can understand why terrorist organizations pop up here and there like the White Fang." Ruby gave Farayan a slightly impressed look for his wealth of knowledge- horrified by the situation, but still impressed. "I like history," Farayan explained with a shrug.

"But still," Ruby drawled with her frown, "Why is Blake so concerned now she's in Vale?"

"Schnee."

Ruby blinked at Farayan's easy answer. "What?"

"Your other teammate is a Schnee, right?" Farayan inquired, to which he got a nod from Ruby. "Schnees are Atlesian, and by the way she dressed, I'm guessing they're also pretty rich. Almost all faunus despise rich, non-faunus people in Atlas, mainly because they use their kind as modern-day slaves.

"I'm just guessing, but Blake probably wanted this to be a secret just for this reason. Either that or for everyone else that hates faunuses." Farayan paused for a moment as he tilted his head back. "Faunuses or fauni?" he wondered to himself.

Ruby blinked at the sudden interruption of the story. "What?" she started before she waved the question away. "I don't know, now go back to why Blake wanted to keep her secret."

Farayan pondered for a little bit before he replied, "That's about it. I revealed her secret about being a faunus." He frowned. "Tell her I'm sorry, I just assumed you guys knew about it. Now I probably ruined a good future between you guys." And after a moment of thought, Farayan smacked his forehead. "I'm an idiot," he grumbled, "That's why she was wearing a bow that covered her cat ears."

The flood of information left Ruby blinking as she tried to take everything in, and then she let out a soft "Ooh." "She has cat ears," she marveled. Then, with narrowed eyes, Ruby wondered, "But how does the bow go on?"

It took a second for Farayan to replay what Ruby just said in his mind, and it took another couple to understand it. But when he finally did, Farayan melted into a puddle of laughs, first strained as he tried to hold it back, but the laughs won out. "Of all the things to ask," Farayan gasped between breaths and laughs, "You ask how her bow goes on?"

In just a few moments, Ruby was joining in as she leaned on Farayan's shoulder for support, barely able to sit straight from giggling madly. Once her sides started to hurt, she rolled back her uproarious laughter to an occasional giggle escaping her mouth.

Eventually, Ruby was able to sit back, her breaths finally exhausted from laughing as the sky started to turn a light crimson from the sun dipping into the horizon. As Ruby opened her mouth to ask Farayan something, her stomach rumbled so loudly, whales were probably able to hear it from the other side of Remnant.

Farayan laughed as a red tint bloomed against Ruby's cheeks. And, with a slight stagger, he got to his feet. "How about I catch us some food again?" he suggested.

The blush still present, Ruby quipped, "Sounds good." While Farayan was walking back into the line of trees, Ruby yelled after him, "Get me more than one, please!"

Farayan chuckled to himself before answering with a wave. Then, he disappeared into the forest. At last alone, Ruby considered her options. She could run right now, leaving Farayan here. Or she could stay until they got to town. The second option seemed smarter. Ruby had no idea where they were right now or which town they were going to, and if Farayan was right, it was only a day or two away from where they were now. Two days, at most, of staying with Farayan before they parted ways.

But, there was a problem with that.

Ruby was scared.

Not of Farayan himself- she was sure he was just a regular kid without a home, but not someone to be scared of. No, Ruby was scared of the image of Farayan out of control. The image of Farayan hovering over Penny, tearing wire after wire out of her stomach with that feral look in his eyes- that was seared into her brain. And Ruby didn't know what to do with that anymore. Staying would mean she might have to see that side of him again, but so would leaving.

The argument in her mind went back and forth, both sides trying their hardest to convince her to either leave or stay with the mysterious boy. And her decision would have to come soon since her choice needed to be made before Farayan came back.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Humming to himself, Farayan came back from his hunt with three morsels in hand. He looked up at the sky with a small smile- smoke was billowing up from the area he was walking towards, into the dark-red sky. A few moments later, Farayan found the source was a small campfire, set up and crackling away as the warmth rolled over him with a comforting beckon. Seated next to it was Ruby as she held her knees close to her chest, head resting on them as she started to nod off.

Grinning, Farayan snuck up on the unsuspecting girl, standing just behind her as he held up one of the squirrels by its bushy tail. A moment later, Ruby found herself yelling as a dead squirrel dangled in front of her face as she tried to shove it away and scramble back at the same time. In the end, Ruby failed at both tasks and, instead, tumbled backward as dirt flew up around her. Farayan burst out laughing at the sight while Ruby got up, huffing as she scowled the hysterical boy.

"You awake now?" Farayan asked innocently before he snickered again.

Ruby rolled her eyes as she shoved him back, hoping he would also land on his back. Unfortunate for her, Farayan was expecting it and caught himself with a few quick steps back. "Prat," Ruby grumbled.

Farayan just chuckled as he ruffled Ruby's hair. The dangerous look in her eyes, though, made Farayan take a step back as he tore his hand away like it had been burnt. "Dinner?" Farayan redirected her attention as he held up the three catches for Ruby to see.

In a flash, Ruby snatched two out of Farayan's hands and slowly roasted them over her make-shift skewer: Crescent Rose had a lot more uses than Ruby would admit to. "Hey," Farayan exclaimed indignantly.

Just to show her age, Ruby stuck her tongue out at him as she turned back to her meal. "Serves you right," she huffed with an air of satisfaction, "Should've thought of that before you scared me."

Farayan just shook his head as a smile donned on his lips, thinking back to just moments ago. "Worth it," he quipped.

As their meals were cooking over the fire, Ruby turned back to Farayan who was sitting next to her instead of directly across from her. Noticing her stare, Farayan glanced over at Ruby. "What?" he inquired.

Ruby chuckled self-consciously. "I just realized I don't know anything about you," she confessed.

Farayan raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought I told you about-."

"You did," Ruby interrupted, "I mean, you told me about what happened in the lab, but you never really told me anything about yourself." When Farayan still had a puzzled expression, she elaborated, "What you like, favorite song: stuff like that."

Farayan nodded when a small thought popped into his head. "You never told me much about yourself either," he realized.

Neither said anything for a few moments. Then, "Twenty questions?" Ruby asked.

This got a chuckle out of Farayan. "You're a real schoolgirl, you know that?" he quipped. Ignoring Ruby's look of hurt, her lips quirking into the smallest of smiles to know she was joking, Farayan gestured towards her. "Ask away."

 **AN: And there's the next chapter. Finally. Hey, guys. Fireflame here. Sorry, this took so long, but like I said, October was extremely hectic for me. Standardized tests, the first quarter of the school year ended, and I still have piano festivals I have to go to. Oh, and now I'm on a team. And I have a job. Needless to say, real life has taken me hostage, and these are my attempts at escaping it.**

 **Not gonna lie, this was supposed to be a lot longer. But I decided against it- I was going to go to their time in town, but it would've dragged on too long, and I also didn't have the time to do it. (Also, I've been distracted by 2 new story ideas, one non-fanfic related, but we don't need to worry about those.)**

 **Just to address something, Penny's not dead. Not yet, and if all goes as planned, not ever in this story. It might've looked bad, but she survived.**

 **Anyway, review time!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: About that theory. Potentially Penny used to be a real girl? Or maybe harnessed by someone else- I have no idea there. Nope, she's not dead. I won't kill her off in that scenario. She deserves something… flashier.**

 **Oh, emotionally tormenting our OCs? You don't even know the half of it. You've ever see Pluto's Daughter 11? She and I have some messed up things we've came up with. A couple of them went into her story.**

 **Ione's probably done with the hit-squad, but a manhunt still isn't done. Just on Ozpin's terms now.**

 **AHBookworm7: Well, looks like I'm going down my "sisterly" route. Not much I can do about that. I think it might work out. Again, Penny's not dead. Almost, but not quite. So the two are still out there (queue evil laughter). Also, the cover art can wait. I think around, say…, chapter 7-8 you'll have a good idea to what to draw for a cover. And still, thanks!**

 **sonic: I'll keep making more, man.**


	9. Chapter 9: Topaz Town

**AN: And we're back with a new chapter. Finally, I can get back on schedule.**

 **Quick Poll Count: Sisterly wins!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. Never have, don't now, and probably won't in the future. (Rooster Teeth, if you're reading this... don't add me to that owner list. I'd kill off every lovable character in a heartbeat for "science").**

Chapter 9: Topaz Town

Farayan's morning didn't start off well. Because of the gaping hole in the back of his hoodie from it being singed off, he had to tear off the hood, hanging by a few threads, and wear the thing backward.

Actually, his day hadn't gone well since the night before when Ruby wouldn't meet his eyes for something he said. "Ruby," Farayan whined, "Come on already."

A prickle of a smile flashed on Ruby's mouth before disappearing into her scowl. "Don't talk to me," she harrumphed.

Throwing his hands up in the air, Farayan set off into the woods and towards the town. Behind him, he could hear boots kicking up dirt and crunching on twigs as Ruby followed him, albeit with a hint of reluctance. "You're still sulking?" Farayan exasperated.

"I don't sulk," Ruby denied, "I'm just upset at what you said last night."

The mirth radiating off Farayan was strong enough for Ruby to feel even if she wasn't looking at him. "You do realize that's basically the definition of sulking, right?"

Groaning, Ruby turned to glare at Farayan's back. "But how have you not heard of her?" she questioned.

"Hey, I was stuck in a lab for four years. Sue me for not being up to date with stuff like that."

"But it's Casey," Ruby exclaimed, "How do you not know a single song by her?"

Farayan rolled his eyes as he continued the trek. "Maybe because she started after I was put in a lab?" he sassed.

With a huff, Ruby caught up and strode by his side, her arms still crossed in defiance of her stance. "Haven't seen a movie," she listed from his answers last night, "You don't know Casey- I swear, it's like you didn't have a childhood." Farayan flinched slightly before staring blankly ahead while he clamped his jaw shut. Guilt welt up in Ruby as she stared at her feet, scuffing the ground beneath her. "I'm sorry," she apologized," That was dumb of me to say."

A few seconds went by, and Farayan finally let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. The teen tried to flash Ruby a sad smile, but it came out more as a grimace. "It's fine. Just… just don't remind me of it again, please?"

Ruby nodded without hesitation as they fell back into silence, the slight tension still hanging in the air, though. Willing to break it, Farayan inquired, "You said you skipped two grades?"

A bashful look blushed on Ruby's cheeks as she laughed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah," she drawled, "They thought I was good enough with my scythe to be considered for Beacon."

Farayan nodded along while a smirk started to form. "Even though you were horrible at History?" he teased.

Ruby let out another huff as she slapped Farayan's arm, more annoyed than anything. "I wasn't that bad," she defended, "I just… forgot things that I didn't think were important." At Farayan's pointed look, she rolled her eyes. "I don't like it, alright? I don't want to know how Colonel What's-His-Name defeated something because of politics."

In response, Farayan put a hand to his heart and gasped. "How dare you?" he exclaimed. Then, in a more serious tone, Farayan asked, "Seriously? You don't even like the wars?"

Ruby gave him an indifferent shrug. "It's the only time I didn't fall asleep in class," Ruby offered with an embarrassed smile. Much to Farayan's displeasure, if his long and drawn-out groan was anything to go off of. She glared at him as another playful slap hit him on the arm exactly where it did before. "Don't give me that," Ruby scowled lightly, "You probably had a subject you hated as well."

At Ruby's comment, Farayan nodded. "Math," he answered, "Never going to use it, so what's the point in knowing it?" Then, Farayan noticed Ruby's triumphant look, and he realized how his statement sounded. "Alright, you've made your point," he conceded, "But I still think you're crazy for not liking History."

That still didn't wipe the grin off Ruby's face. A few more minutes went by filled with silence- not awkward or comfortable, just pure, free-thinking-time silence. Then, as it started to drift towards awkward, Ruby piped up, "So if you didn't listen to good music," Farayan gave Ruby a tired glare, "and you didn't watch movies, what did you do when you were younger?"

Instead of answering, however, Farayan merely shot Ruby a smug smile. "Nope," he denied, "You already asked your twenty questions last night. Now, you're answering mine."

Ruby blew out a puff of air as she rolled her eyes. "You're still doing that? We finished the game last night!"

"Correction," Farayan grinned, " _You_ finished last night. Your answer to 'What's your favorite food?' should not be snoring."

Arms crossed, Ruby threw back her head and closed her eyes, already tired of Farayan even though her smile indicated otherwise. "Alright," Ruby conceded, "Ask your questions."

After a moment of thought, Farayan asked, "How'd you get into Beacon two years early?"

Ruby clicked her tongue as she reminisced about that memory. "I got lucky," she admitted, "Well, maybe unlucky, but I fought a group of bad guys and saved a store. Ozpin saw it and offered me a way into Beacon."

Farayan nodded along as he thought of another question. "Which question is this?" he mused.

"Thirteen," Ruby answered. Then with a sly grin, she added, "Fourteen now."

"That doesn't count," Farayan protested.

"Yes, it does," Ruby sang, laughing at the disgruntled expression that filled Farayan's face. "Now come on- ask your next one."

One of Farayan's elbows poked Ruby for a moment. "Jerk," he muttered, to which Ruby promptly stuck her tongue out at him- just to make sure he knew how mature she was. "Best friend?" Farayan inquired.

It took Ruby a bit too long to think about that question, and she knew it, judging from the rosy-tint blooming in her cheeks. "Does Yang count?" she squeaked.

In response, Farayan shot Ruby a look that clearly said: " _Really?_ " "That's not a part of your family," he clarified.

Ruby let out a huff. "I guess it's Weiss then."

Farayan was opening his mouth to ask another question when a wave of stench wafted over him. It was all he could do to not openly gag as his eyes watered. "We're getting close," he proclaimed.

"No kidding." Farayan looked up to where Ruby was now pointing, and, through the tree line and shrubs, he could see the edges of a few buildings. Farayan was tugged away from his observations by Ruby, hands around Farayan's arm as she dragged him forward. "Come on," she exclaimed, glee evident in her voice.

But as she pulled him along, Ruby could feel the tenseness and reluctance Farayan had in himself. Then, she put two and two together when she realized why Farayan of all people wouldn't want to be seen in a town. "Oh," Ruby breathed, "I guess this is goodbye, then?" Her shoulders slumped, and her grip slipped as she dangled her arms to her sides.

Farayan sighed at the sight of Ruby's growing sadness. He threw his head back, thinking of a way to cheer her up as he dragged a hand through the black mess he called his hair.

A fur-matted hand. With claws.

The sudden idea made Farayan freeze before he pulled his hand back towards his face, his mind whirling as the idea started to bloom into a plan. "Maybe…" Farayan mused. Every other time was done unconsciously, but he might be able to do it. He closed his eyes, picturing exactly what he wanted to happen while he tried to will what he wanted his body to do. His eyes were still closed when he heard Ruby gasp. Farayan finally blinked and looked at Ruby. "So, did it work?" he asked.

Ruby's mouth was agape as she nodded. "I can't show you, but yeah. It worked."

Farayan was now unrecognizable as himself. Hair and fur matted all down the sides of his neck and even a bit over his face. His cheeks became narrower and pulled back, and his eyes were now a crimson red- the same color as the edges of a Grimm's eyes. Now, he could pass as a faunus without anyone batting an eye at the idea. Especially with the claws on his hand.

"How did you do that?" Ruby exclaimed, reaching forward and poking the new fur on Farayan's forehead.

Her hand was quickly batted away while Farayan wrinkled his brow at where Ruby poked. "I have no idea," he admitted, "I just remember that I could do this with my hand, but I didn't know I could do it intentionally."

Ruby smiled again as she pulled away. "Now all you need is a new name," she quipped. At Farayan's confused look, she elaborated, "Well, I can't call you Farayan, can I?"

And now began the new task of trying to rename Farayan. "Smokey?" Ruby suggested with a barely-held snicker.

Farayan scowled. "What am I, a bear?"

"Cinder?"

"That's a girl's name."

"Adriano?"

Farayan paused as he tilted his head up in thought. Nodding a few times, he eventually smiled. "That'll work."

"Then it's settled," Ruby exclaimed, "Adriano Black!"

Farayan laughed at her excitement as he slung an arm around Ruby's shoulders. This time, it was Farayan- Adriano, sorry- that was dragging Ruby towards the town. "Come along, Rose," Farayan joked. And, finally, they reached the end of their journey.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"This is barely a town," Ruby whispered to Farayan.

Now that they were in the town, the two realized just how small it was. The place was picturesque. Straight out of a film. It was just large enough to contain a couple hundred people at once, and it was the sort of small town that everyone knew each other's name and smiled all the time.

Ruby loved it, and so did Farayan. But they liked it for completely different reasons- the former because it was so pleasant, the latter since the size made it easier to hide in.

As the two were gazing around, a thought hit Farayan. "Ruby," he called.

"Hmm?" Ruby jerked her head away from the signs hanging over the doors of shops to stare at Farayan.

"Why am I here?" Farayan asked. He gestured to the town in general. "As in, why did you bring me to town? I could just run now and let you go back to your life."

Farayan's fantasy was interrupted when Ruby gave a hard pull on his arm, dragging him forward a few stumbling steps before he regained his balance. "Because," Ruby drawled, almost condescendingly, "I'm showing you how actual people should live." As Farayan opened his mouth to protest, Ruby went on, "I mean, you can't go through life without having a favorite movie or song or whatever."

Instead of continuing his protest, Farayan just laughed as he allowed himself to be towed along by a determined Ruby. "For the record," Farayan put in, "I actually do have a favorite song."

"Songs by people that have been dead for at least a century don't count," Ruby opined.

Farayan rolled his eyes. "I'm not _that_ old," he quipped. Then, he paused as a thought crossed his mind. "Wait a minute, you're older than me. Why are _you_ the one complaining about me having older tastes?"

"Small details," Ruby waved off, to Farayan's amusement. "Now, which movie do you want to see?"

Farayan blinked and looked up as he just noticed the blaring signs above him. Plastered on the entrance of the theater they were in front of was half a dozen movie titles, all waiting to be watched. And all looked unfamiliar to Farayan. "I have no idea," he conceded. Then, he felt a pair of dainty hands cover his eyes, making him flinch back before he realized it was Ruby. "What are you doing?" Farayan asked.

"Now choose," Ruby quipped, "It doesn't matter what you pick if you can't see the choices."

A smile quirked at the edges of Farayan's lips. "That doesn't make any sense," he pointed out, "But alright."

With a flourish of a gesture, Farayan raised a hand and pointed vaguely at the signs above them. From behind closed eyes, he had the image of Ruby following where his finger was pointing. "Top one or bottom one?" Ruby asked with a hum.

"Um," Farayan managed, unprepared for the question, "Top?"

The next instant, he was being dragged forward, and Farayan barely managed to stumble along up-right as his eyes flew open. The first thing he saw was Ruby pulling his arm to the booth where a bored-looking man sat behind the glass. "Hello," she greeted with a smile, "Two tickets for 'Grimm Eclipse', please."

The man snapped out of his bored trance and looked at the pair with a hint of suspicion. "Aren't you two supposed to be in school right now?" he inquired.

"We, uh," Ruby stammered, rubbing the back of her neck as her cheeks pinked. "We… have the rest of the day off."

The man raised an eyebrow at this. Ruby's tone wasn't exactly confident in the slightest, "Is that so?" he pressed.

Before Ruby could ramble on defensively, Farayan stepped forward. "Well, we just got off an assignment," Farayan admitted a lie, "We have the rest of the day off before we go back in…" He turned to Ruby, "What- four hours?"

"Five, I think," Ruby corrected his fable.

The employee shrugged, turning to the computer at his hands. "That'll be thirty Lien," he said.

As Ruby was pulling out her wallet from the folds of her skirt, Farayan coughed at the amount. "Movies got expensive," he mused.

Ruby handed the man the money and turned back to her partner with an expression which was equally amused and judgmental. "Well, what did you expect?" she snorted with a smile, all in good humor, "The only movies you've watched are older than you."

The employee just chuckled at their interaction, handing them their tickets through the hole at the base of the glass. "Well, enjoy the movie, you two," he offered. Then, as an extra thought, he added, "And enjoy your date."

Farayan jerked his head up to the man before looking at Ruby who did the exact same. After a brief moment, they wrinkled their noses in disgust while laughing at the idea. "Yeah, it's not a date," Ruby giggled.

"Definitely not," Farayan agreed. With that thought being thoroughly laughed at, the pair on a "date" went in, chuckles interrupting the comfortable silence every few seconds.

The theater barely had any employees and even fewer people enjoying movies- the middle of a weekday wasn't the best time for business. So Farayan and Ruby were able to enjoy their movie in relative silence with only a couple of guys playing hooky to get out of school- even a couple of adults skiving off work for a day off.

And the movie itself was… action-packed. It was a regular superhero film with guns, violence, the occasional love interest running in, and the hero saving the day at the very end against literally all odds. Complete with all the suspenseful music and explosions anyone could hope for- and more. ( **AN: Michael Bay in a nutshell.** )

To Farayan, he couldn't imagine a movie cheesier than this; there were probably a half-dozen movies with the exact same plot line, just with different names plastered on different characters.

But Ruby? She thought it was the movie of the year.

The sun was halfway through its journey to the horizon when the two walked out of the theater- maybe five in the afternoon if they had to guess. And Ruby was still squealing about the movie they just saw. "That was great! Did you see how that guy-?"

"I don't remember a single thing out of that movie," Farayan realized with a small smile.

Ruby's head jerked as fast as it could without her Semblance, glaring at Farayan with the same intensity she had when staring down a Grimm. "How could you?" she exclaimed.

"Nothing stood out," Farayan said with a shake of his head, "I've already seen that movie three years ago, only this time it had marginally better graphics."

"But," Ruby flushed, "How could you not remember anything? It was supposed to be one of the 'most anticipated movies of the year'?"

"Ruby," Farayan called as he laid his hands on her shoulders. Then, with the most serious tone he could muster, Farayan asked, "What is the main character's name?"

He watched as Ruby's expression flickered from smugness to confusion and then to horror as Farayan's point was proven. Farayan laughed as he ruffled her hair, the next moment being batted away as Ruby huffed in annoyance. "And that proves my point," Farayan exclaimed in triumph.

Ruby threw up her arms in exasperation, leaving Farayan behind to watch her with that air of smugness still radiating off him. "I guess that means you don't dinner, then?" Ruby suddenly asked.

That got Farayan to catch up quickly, wiping the smirk off his face in the process. Ruby just grinned at him, showing her teeth and her victory off. Farayan rolled his eyes in response. "Guess money still makes the world go 'round," he observed.

"More like food is the best motivator."

"True."

After a bit of wandering, and a few disputes of which building to venture into, they settled on an old-fashioned diner, complete with glistening red and white booths and high stools along a bar in front of the kitchen. "You picked this just because it's old-fashioned," Ruby accused her companion.

Farayan conceded with a shrug and a smile. "Just because I knew you couldn't stand not criticizing it," he admitted.

However, Ruby just flashed him a smile. "Joke's on you- I actually like it." Not waiting for another retort, Ruby turned around and skipped towards a random booth with Farayan trailing behind her.

They sat across from each other while a waitress came up to their table. "Welcome to Ruby's-," she greeted.

"And now there's the reason you wanted to come to this," Farayan accused the across from him, eliciting Ruby to stick her tongue out at him.

"May I take your order?" The waitress asked, eyeing the pair of them with a smile at their interaction.

"Could we have two burgers and fries?" Ruby asked sweetly. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Farayan's confused look. At this, Ruby groaned as her head hit the table. She groaned, "You have to be kidding me."

With a snort and a roll of his eyes, Farayan replied, "Of course I am. I'm not that ignorant." He turned back to the waitress who looked as if she was halfway to laughing or shooting them confused looks. "She," Farayan explained, jerking his thumb at Ruby, her head still on the table, "has the idea that I was raised in a lab for my entire life."

"Well, you were," Ruby quipped, peeling her head off the table.

Their waitress laughed as she wrote down their order. "Well," she put in, "I'll be out with your orders shortly. Don't let me interrupt your date."

The two in question looked at each other, giving the other amused looks before they shook their heads, laughing at the idea. "Definitely not a date," Farayan rejected with a smile, "Just two friends in town."

Their waitress let out a soft "Oh," as she backed away from the table. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I thought it was." Too embarrassed to say anything else, their waitress backed away and exited to the kitchen.

Farayan watched her exit through the flapping door before turning his attention back to Ruby. "Why does everyone think we're dating?" he mused.

With an innocent shrug, Ruby smiled as she gave a pointed look at her companion. "Maybe it's because we're two teens. Alone, and at a diner together." She watched as Farayan's face suddenly flushed, understanding the picture that Ruby painted. "Exactly," she quipped, triumphant.

Eventually, the conversation had to turn to the biggest between the two teens- how old Farayan's choice of everything was. Every time the point was brought up, an argument brewed within moments as each criticized the other's choice, a smile on their faces to diffuse any anger they might have.

That didn't mean, though, Farayan wasn't frustrated at Ruby's insistence. "These were literally the best of the best," Farayan argued, "How can you say you've never heard of any of them?"

"Because they're so old," Ruby whined, "And if they're the best, why aren't you including Casey?"

She received an eyeroll at her driving the conversation back to the one artist. "Because I haven't heard her yet?" Farayan suggested, "And because I still think my songs are better?" A huff was all he received from Ruby. And as he was about to shoot off another retort, he caught sight of a particular machine in the corner of his eye. Then, his smile broadened, almost smug at the sight. "Here, I'll prove it." Without a warning, Farayan got out of his seat and made his way across the room.

Ruby turned and peered over the back of the booth to see Farayan approach a jukebox. "Really?" Ruby drawled with a roll of her eyes, "That's probably older than you."

Farayan shrugged. "So are most of my songs," he replied, "So that should fit nicely." And a few button-clicks later, Farayan stepped back as the record whirled in the machine. Watered-down music filled the air along with the sounds of sizzling burgers and random chatter.

Ruby was still waiting for him as Farayan sat back down in his seat. And she was puzzled by the smug, triumphant look Farayan was giving her. "What?" Ruby questioned.

All she received was a pointed look and an exaggerated gesture in her direction. It was only then Ruby realized she was swaying slightly. Along to the beat of the music. As soon as she realized what was happening, she stopped with a sigh of resignation, adding to Farayan's smug nature. "Fine," she huffed, "Maybe your music isn't so bad."

The argument would've gone on for another hour or so if they let it, but their waitress happened to walk out with their order. Since neither of them have had a proper meal for whoever knows how long, they dug in with a ferocity usually found in rabid wolves.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

By the end of their dinner, the two were in high spirits and with full stomachs. When their plates were emptied of anything edible, Farayan was leaning back in his seat, content written all over his face, while Ruby was polishing off the remains of her drink. Abruptly, a gurgling noise rose up as Farayan glanced over at his companion, her face rapidly flushing as she put a hand on her stomach. Without a word, Ruby stood up and hurried over to the restroom doors. "And that's why I went before the movie," Farayan yelled after her. Faintly, he could hear Ruby shout something back in protest, but from her distance and the other noise rising from the other booths, it mostly came down to imagination.

Farayan laughed once more before the smile he forced drooped into a frown. He had fun- the most fun in years- that night. Even between the good-natured bickering, there wasn't a single thing he'd regret about that evening.

Which made it so much harder to leave.

Farayan made up his mind the night before, when Ruby had fallen asleep. It wasn't fair of him to keep the girl away from her actual life. She had her team, her friends, her family- more people to worry about her back home than just Farayan. Plus, he just wanted to protect her as a favor. He was the one that kidnapped her, after all, so seeing her returned was the least he could do.

But he'd grown attached to her. That's what tends to happen when two people spend days at a time with only each other for company. It also helped that Ruby had a bubbly personality- one that no one could hate her for since she just made everything better.

And he hated it right now. Just because it was making it so much harder for him to leave.

Farayan sat there for another minute or so, staring at the ceiling as he reminisced about the past couple of days. He'd been on the run, fending for his life and trying to find his way in life now that he was a fugitive, but it had been the best days of being outside of a lab. Just caring about themselves, not having to worry about the future when fighting for their lives, and even trading banters.

Reluctantly, hesitantly, and with every other word that says Farayan didn't want to do this, he finally stood from his seat, hands in his pants' pockets, and left for the door.

The last thing he wanted to do right now was to say goodbye, so why not just skip it?

There was a small building near the diner, much more pristine-like and advanced than the small town they were currently in, judging by the multiple screens blaring through the windows. These small buildings were littered throughout every town, connecting them to the CCT Towers. They were nowhere near as expansive as them, but it served the same purpose of connecting everything together.

Farayan walked in, eyeing the other occupants wearily as he made his way up to the front counter. He was startled out of his suspicious glances when a hologram whirred to life in front of him, a smiling clerk appearing behind the desk. "Hello," the mechanical voice rang from the hologram, "What can I do for you?"

A smile forced its way onto Farayan's face. "Hello," he greeted, straining to keep an upbeat tone in his voice, "I would like to talk to Yang Xiao Long, if you could?"

The smile never faltered off the hologram as she leaned down, appearing to gaze at an invisible list behind the counter. After almost a minute of waiting and a lot of anxiety from Farayan, she looked back up. "Your call has been connected," she notified, "Computer 016 in the back."

Farayan barely remembered to say a quick "Thanks!" before he rushed to the computer, his posture stiff and knees as weak as his nerves. He took a deep breath and sat down, relaxing as much as possible for the shouting he was sure to come.

Moments later, the call connected, but the screen remained void of any video. "Hello?" Yang's voice rang out, "Who is this?"

"Turn on the video," Farayan suggested, "You'll probably recognize me then."

Silence hung with a bit of dread as a feed popped up on the screen. Yang was staring in confusion at her Scroll with what looked like a dorm room behind her. She studied the person on her screen. "Are you one of Ruby's friends from Signal?" Yang asked, tilting her head as she tried to remember.

Farayan furrowed his eyebrows. "You don't recognize me?" he questioned. As he spoke, he remembered why Yang wouldn't recognize his look. "Oh, right." With a bowed head and eyes closed in concentration, Farayan willed for his appearance to form back into the one he was used to. Before he even opened his eyes, a loud crashing noise broke Farayan out of his trance.

Yang stood up so suddenly, her chair was thrown back and crashed to the ground. "You!" she spat, eyes ablaze as anger danced in the red, merciless pits that were her pupils.

Shoulders slumped, Farayan propped his head up with his hands cupping them in front of him to hide the smile that couldn't reach up to his eyes. "You're Ruby's sister, right?" he inquired.

From the way the camera was facing the ceiling, Yang was leaning over her Scroll, hair drawing shadows on her face and making her expression ever the more sinister. "What did you do?" she growled.

"Nothing," Farayan promised. Then, he smiled. "Well, besides for the fact that she might still be ignorant of what constitutes good music." At this, Yang propped her chair back up and sat down again as her initial rage was tampered down. Though the murderous look in her eyes didn't diminish. Farayan sat back, almost lazily, and let out a deep sigh. "Look, if you want Ruby, come and get her."

"Is that a threat-?"

"No, seriously," Farayan interrupted, "Come and get her. Topaz Town, in a place called Ruby's Diner." He could see Yang's lip quirk with a hint of amusement, and Farayan tried to crack a smile as well, but it came out more like a grimace than anything. "Yeah, ironic name, right?"

Now that she knew her sister was safe and her location as well, Yang could relax her death glare a bit. The call itself was… uncalled for, to say the least. For Ruby's captor to call her and give her away and her location- it just didn't add up in Yang's mind. And just the nature of Farayan puzzled her. It wasn't a hostile, panicky, tense teenager making demands for a ransom or anything. Farayan was tense, yes, but more of being recognized than as if he had a gun pointed at his head. He looked relaxed but tired, like he was tired of a leisure walk and not exhausted from a marathon.

The thing that confused Yang the most, however, was his conceded tone. Tired and sad as if he was losing something more important than just a hostage. "Why are you doing this?" Yang interrogated.

Farayan rubbed the bags away from his eyes. "I'm tired," he admitted, "Of taking care of Ruby, being on the run- everything. I just want to be left alone, and this is the best way to do it." His mouth curved into a bittersweet smile. "Ruby has a life with all of you, and she's got a future. I'm not gonna take all that away from her."

Yang was silent for a long minute, studying Farayan for any deception or malice in anything he said. All she found was a sad teen, contemplating his choices and choosing the best one for Ruby and not himself. She sighed. "I'll put in a good word for you," she offered, "And Farayan?" His wandering gaze snapped back to the girl on screen. "Thanks for taking care of Ruby."

It was the first genuine, soft smile Farayan was able to make since the beginning of their conversation. "Ruby's a good person," he replied, "You're lucky to have her as a sister."

The video shut off, most likely Yang going to talk to someone with authority to get her sister back to where she belonged. " _It's done_." He sat back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as he recollected his thoughts and memories of his time on the run.

" _Now let's get out of here,_ " the voice in his head suggested. Even though the enthusiasm in his mind was there, everything in Farayan's character told him to say goodbye. Not for himself, but for Ruby. " _No time,_ " his voice shut the idea down. As if his feet were made of lead, Farayan eventually got up and dragged himself out the doors, a heavy heart making it all the harder to shamble down the sidewalk.

He didn't make it three blocks, however, when a red blur tackled into his back, almost knocking Farayan off his feet. The teen stumbled at the last second as he caught himself from taking a tumble into the concrete. "Where have you been?" the blur shouted.

Farayan pivoted his body, staring at Ruby who had her arms latched around him as she tried to hug the breath out of him. "Ruby, let go," Farayan demanded.

"No."

Farayan rolled his eyes as, in her stubbornness, Ruby continued to latch onto him like he would disappear at any moment. Which, to be fair, wasn't entirely out of the question. "You're starting to create a scene," he pointed out. Amused, Farayan watched as her cheeks reddened as she dropped her arms to her sides. "I'm leaving."

"No, you're not," Ruby protested.

It was hard not to get frustrated at Ruby's insistence, but the dread Farayan felt managed to draw his attention away from the emotion. "I'm serious, Ruby," he said, "I didn't want to say goodbye because I'd have to see you again." Ruby's expression softened. "It just makes it harder for me to do this."

Now, Ruby's steely expression reemerged. "For you to abandon me?" she questioned.

Farayan hung his head in defeat. "You have your life," he replied, "And I have mine. Well, what's left of one. I shouldn't keep you from living your life."

It was a while before either of them spoke, letting the silence that hung in the air speak for itself. "So, you thought I would want to get rid of you at the first chance I got?" Ruby asked in a whisper.

Startled, Farayan looked back up to a sight that rattled him. Ruby was staring back at him, face full of betrayal. "I…" he stammered, "I thought you wanted to see your friends again and to go back to Beacon. You know, to become a Huntress?"

Ruby's eyes started to glisten with unshed tears as she tried on a sad smile, touched by his concern, but also hurt by the near-abandoning. "I do," she affirmed, "But I can do that at any time." She frowned, "But I can't always see you. And what if you're caught? You said it yourself- Atlas would rather hush everything up than let you go."

Farayan stared at her. "So, you'd rather stay on the run with a presumed terrorist, hunted by two governments, rather than go back to school?"

Ruby nodded.

A muffled sigh escaped Farayan. "And you're not changing your opinion?"

Another nod.

"You know I could just run right now, right?"

Ruby smirked. "I'll catch up with you. Speed Semblance, remember?"

"I could always try outlasting you since you still don't know how to catch food," Farayan challenged.

Ruby shrugged, "I'll just steal your food."

An entire minute went by as Farayan glared at his companion who glared back at him, challenging his next move. Another few seconds went by, and Farayan's shoulders slumped in defeat. "You're not giving this up, are you?" he presumed.

"Nope," Ruby said, her tone smug.

"When will you stop following me, though?" Farayan asked, "You have to go back to your life eventually."

That made Ruby pause and ponder. When did she want to go back? As soon as she could, but she also wanted to make sure Farayan was safe first. Then, a thought hit her. "We could try and go to Patch," she exclaimed, "I could see you in the summer once school gets out, or even during winter break. Then we could think of something else after that."

Farayan looked up, deep in thought. "My geography's a bit worse than my history," he started, "But isn't Patch on an island? A long way's away?"

Ruby nodded, "Like a four-day run." Farayan raised an eyebrow at how quick she answered his question. "We had some weird exercises at Signal," Ruby answered.

"That's less of an exercise and more of a marathon," Farayan replied.

Before either of them could say any more, a screech jerked both of their attentions away to the thing that made the noise. A woman stopped just in front of them, eyes wide in horror as she started to back away from them. Her slow stumbled turned into a run as she screamed bloody murder. There was no doubt that she knew Farayan from a news report or something that he was a wanted man, but it took a second for him to realize how he was spotted. When he did, though, Farayan cursed. "I forgot to change my appearance again."

Ruby turned to her partner-in-crime. "Why did you change back?" she inquired.

Farayan waved her off. "Not important," he assured, "Well, I guess we have to leave now, so are you coming with or do you want to go back to your friends?" He offered her a hand which she took without hesitation. Farayan grinned, "Come along then, Rose."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

When Yang landed in Topaz Town, she could already tell something was wrong.

It took barely any effort for her to convince Ozpin to let her go get Ruby, and it took even less to convince someone at the airfields to let them use one of the Bullheads- especially since Ozpin assured then it was for a hostage being released. In no time at all, Yang found herself sitting in a Bullhead, streaming over to the town with Ozpin calmly beside her. The only indication of how much the entire ordeal was taking on him was from the bags under his eyes and the white-knuckled grip he had on his cane. But all of that was finally over, with Ruby being returned.

At least, that's what they had thought until they landed a few hours later. The area had been reduced to a state of panic while a dozen-or-so people- Yang assumed they were the police- tried to calm everyone down and questioned some of the startled and excited witnesses. "What's going on here?" Yang demanded the nearest person.

The person happened to be a woman, wide-eyed and jumpy with fear. "He was here," she screeched, "I saw him- the guy on the news! That criminal ran off!"

Yang tried to even her breath as she asked, "Was he with a girl? Black hair, pretty short fifteen-year-old that really likes the color red?"

The woman nodded vigorously. "Yes, that's the girl that he was talking to!"

She didn't expect for Yang to grab the collar of her shirt, dragging the woman to eye level. "Where is she now?" she questioned.

"The girl ran with him," a man spoke. Yang's head jerked toward the person in question- an aging man with graying hair and a pair of thick glasses. He flinched under her gaze, but nevertheless went on, "He dragged her into the forest, going west. To the ocean."

Yang took in what the old man said, and when she reacted, she reacted violently. With trembling hands, she released the woman who was still in her hands before yelling at the sky, the air humming with energy around her as Yang's hair started to ignite. Everyone around her backed away at the sound and then backed away again when they caught sight of her. Someone placed a hand on her shoulder, making her throw them off and whirl around to yell at the person who did it.

Yang paused when Ozpin stepped back to let her vent which she gladly took the offer. She was about to started yelling once again- at anyone, at anything-, but she caught sight of the intensity of Ozpin's gaze. He was just as frustrated as she was, and that took most of the anger out of her system. But, it was replaced just as quickly by an emptiness. "She's gone," Yang sighed, "Again."

Disappointed, Yang slouched back towards the Bullhead, and her anger returned with the lack of Ozpin's presence. "Farayan's dead," Yang growled to herself.

 **AN: And that's the newest chapter! Oh man, next one is going to be so much fun. That's when I reveal one of the people dead. In past experience, this is probably going to be the chapter everyone is going to hate me for. And I'm also introducing another character. He's going to be here to stay for quite a while, and I'm going to have such a fun time writing about them.**

 **On a side note, this is the longest chapter I've written for this story. ACT and piano are over, so I can now start focusing a bit more on this. And just in time, because the next arc in this story is going to be so much fun. For me. (*Queue evil laughter*).**

 **Anyway, reviews!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Yeah, you probably should dread what I'm going to do. Not just to Penny. How many of the girls' lives am I going to ruin? Seven? Twelve? All of them, just to be safe. I'm not commenting about the limbs because all of that will be revealed next chapter, and same goes for the sanity. Yep, Ozpin's merciful.**

 **AHBookworm7: Sorry, NEXT chapter you're going to get a pretty good idea of what to draw. And Penny's alive, sort of. Barely. And sorry about your hand. Let it grow back soon.**

 **sonic: (*Finger guns*) And I like you, too.**

 **Anyways, that was the chapter. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you all next time.**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	10. Chapter 10: Surprise!

**AN: You will hate me.**

 **That's not a guess. I'm pretty sure by the end of this, you're going to want to punch me.**

 **I asked you guys a question in Chapter 1 or 2, "Who's the villain in this story?" I promise you, I have played all of you as fools. Well, maybe not 1 person since she helped inspire this for me.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. And after the chapter, you'll be glad I don't.**

Chapter 10: Surprise!

Ozpin was back in his office, his head in his hands as Ruby slipped through his grasp once again. And according to the townspeople and by Yang, she wasn't exactly in any danger from Farayan that the Altas government emphasized. She seemed to actually have a fun time in Topaz.

So why did she leave with Farayan?

That was the question that plagued Ozpin's mind for the past hours as he studied maps and ran over the things he'd heard while questioning the citizens, trying to decipher where they were headed next. Ironwood was next to him, mulling over the same information while also casting concerned glances in Ozpin's direction. This was the most devoted he'd seen the headmaster be to a cause that wasn't a kingdom-wide threat. And it had taken a toll on him. His hair was disheveled, glasses smudged with fingerprints from taking them off too often to rub his tired eyes awake.

"Farayan wouldn't have a plan," Ironwood overheard Ozpin mutter, "He doesn't know any portion of Vale besides the places he's already been. And he isn't headed back to the capital, so we can't know where he would be. So where would Ruby take him?" Ozpin's hands flew over the projection, fingers flying as the map whizzed and panned into a specific region of the kingdom- an island just off the coast.

Ozpin started to get out of his seat, cane in hand before Ironwood tried to coax him back down. "Ozpin, wait," he tried, "You can't go out like this."

Ozpin just glared back. "I'd prefer if you didn't try and stop me from recovering one of my students," he stated.

He was going to have to try a different approach. "They're not going to be there by now," Ironwood reasoned as he gestured towards the map, "It's at least a five-day hike, even without any Grimm attacks. And that's if they go the direct route."

Hesitating, the headmaster turned back to the map as he thought out what the general had said. In the end, he sighed and sat back down at his desk. "So what do you suggest?" he inquired.

"Get some rest, first of all," Ironwood offered, "It doesn't look like you've had a night's rest since this whole incident started."

Ozpin took another sip from his mug, allowing the bitterness sweep his body as a quick way to awaken himself. "With the Queen and Qrow's disappearance along with it, there's not exactly a moment to lose."

"But there also isn't any benefit from depriving of yourself of rest," Ironwood argued. Ozpin sighed, sensing wisdom in the general's words and a defeat in his own. "You already know their next destination-."

"Only an assumption," Ozpin reminded.

"And you know you have enough time to cover the area around it to know where they could be. So take a day off, or at least take a couple hours off to rest."

As Ozpin was giving in to his requests, though, the screen blared to life once more. This time not with another piece of information, but from an incoming call. One glance at who the other end may be made Ozpin sigh merely out of tiredness. A click of a button and the screen shifted to a feed showing a familiar mop of green hair with the same annoyingly familiar Atlesian logo behind her. "I'm a bit busy, Doctor," Ozpin stated, "And I'm quite sure that anything I know about Farayan, you also know."

Dr. Treuse huffed at the obvious understatement. "Well, what I'm about to say may either make things easier for you, or it could make things infinitely more complicated for you."

Ozpin stared back. "Pray do tell," he edged on, "Let's hope the former proves true."

"Now that I'm thinking about it, it would probably only complicate things more. You have a student under his influence, correct?"

There wasn't any doubt who 'He' was, but Ozpin thought 'influence' was a bit much for his role in the whole ordeal. "Ruby Rose," Ozpin answered, "I offered her a place in this academy two years early because I saw the potential in her, and I saw the spirit in her."

Treuse looked up, almost as if to see if anyone in the heavens was looking down at them. "Let's hope that her spirit is as strong as you believe it to be," she replied. Then, with a sigh, she commanded, "I need for you to kill Farayan."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Three days had passed, and Ruby and Farayan were still carrying their trek down to Patch. The shore on their right and the edge of the forest to their left, it wasn't supposed to be long until they reached their destination. Along with the added bonus of not encountering any extra challenges (the Grimm), it was turning out to be a relaxing, week-long hike through the kingdom.

That wasn't to say they were only strolling lazily through. Oh no, Ruby had the brilliant idea of making sure Farayan wasn't completely helpless without her around. So, for the few days, Farayan found himself collapsing on the ground in exhaustion as he tried to keep up with the Huntress in training.

True, if Ruby decided to do hand-to-hand combat, she might've lost a couple of times to Farayan, especially if he decided to switch to his matted Beowolf hands, but no. She wasn't going to abandon Crescent Rose that easily.

From day one, Farayan voiced his complaint to Ruby. "Why do you get to use a weapon when I don't have one?" To which she replied by sticking her tongue out at him, prepping herself by lowering into a ready stance. Without a warning, she bolted forward, swinging her scythe the opposite way so the blunt end would shove her companion back instead of slicing through his already tattered shirt.

Farayan barely had time to think before the weapon was upon him, so instinct took over, stumbling back as he raised his arms to shield his face. A resounding _clang_ rang in the air, and the pair were sent reeling in opposite directions. His arms were vibrating and buzzing with numbness as he tried to shake the feeling off, Farayan's face scrunched together with obvious discomfort. "At least give me some warning," he shouted at his friend.

Ruby didn't respond immediately and instead stared at Farayan. More specifically, his arms. She walked over, eyes never leaving their mark, with a contemplating expression. "How did you do that?" she asked.

Confused, Farayan looked down and refrained from gasping out loud, but his eyebrows still shot into his hairline. There, surrounding the backs of his forearms, were feathers. But not the small, finger-long ones of an average bird. These midnight-black feathers spanned just a bit farther than his elbow, maybe a dozen or so in total. "What the…?" Farayan murmured, moving to fidget with the newest addition to his limbs. But as soon as his finger grazed the edges, Farayan yanked his arm back with a small yelp of pain. "They're sharp," he informed Ruby, strangling his cut finger as he waited for it to heal.

Ruby inspected the feathers, a thought crossing her mind. "Can you pluck one out?" she inquired.

Farayan paused for a moment before pinching the base of one of the feathers, pulling it out in a swift yank. He winced like he'd just pulled out a handful of hair.

It was heavier than Farayan expected- definitely too heavy to be able to fly with even if he had wings full of these feathers. The stem was about as narrow as a pencil, yet Farayan could still hold the end without the feather snapping in half. That settled Ruby's suspicions. And her next course of action. "Now you have your weapon," she smirked, stepping back towards her starting position.

Farayan snapped his head up to Ruby, then back to his feather. "You've got to be kidding me," he groaned, pulling out another one and swapping it to his other hand. Feather-daggers in hand, Farayan hunched down into a ready position, hands jittery at the new feeling of his weapons.

Needless to say, it still wasn't a contest between a girl with years of experience against a boy with four seconds of training. He got better every day- instead of losing in seven seconds, he could now last almost a half-minute before Ruby's scythe found its way to rest just under Farayan's chin, or he'd find himself flat on his back, gasping for breath. And all of that was without her Semblance.

The third day had been especially brutal. Farayan decided that he couldn't face Ruby head-on; the reach of her scythe stopped him from ever getting close enough for him to use his daggers. So instead, he threw them. The first few caught Ruby off guard, making her dance around Farayan as he threw volley after volley at her. Even if quite a few were wildly off their mark, it kept Ruby on her toes. It started to look in his favor.

Then she started shooting.

Farayan flopped onto the ground, groaning as a dozen bruises stung his chest, back, and arms, feeling like he'd been shot by paintballs. But much, much worse. "Oh, come on," Ruby grinned, leaning over the teen as she prodded him gently, "It's just a couple of rubber bullets on the lowest setting. It just stings."

Farayan glared at her. "Just stings," he echoed with an eye roll, "Maybe with heavy clothes. You shot my bare chest!"

"Think of that before you throw things at me," Ruby teased.

Farayan groaned as he sat up, wincing and deeply inhaling every time his bruises brushed against his clothes. They were gone within a couple of minutes, but the ache didn't leave his muscles, and the disgruntled expression didn't leave his face. A moment later, Ruby prodded him again with her foot. "Come on," she grinned, "We still have a couple more days of walking." As she started to leave him behind, the mischievous girl called out behind her, "And don't think I'm gonna forget you throwing things at me."

"You shot me, though!"

And so went their schedule for the few days on the hike. Hike, train, more walking, and eating whatever Farayan caught every day. Both of them were used to more action or at least more tasks.

So, their trip was almost boring. And inside a forest full of monsters, that was never going to bode well.

The fourth day, Farayan awoke while the sun was still hidden behind the horizon, painting the sky with oranges and reds in the blue sky. Eyes still heavy with sleep, he flipped over and glanced at where Ruby slept and stiffened.

They weren't alone.

A white-haired man sat just a few feet away from them as he sipped from a mug, standing out with his prim suit and cane laying by his side. "Ah, you're up," the man spoke as he glanced towards Farayan.

Farayan froze, unsure of if he could bolt before the man either took him or Ruby. "Ruby?" he called out, eyes never leaving the man.

"Hmm?" Ruby hummed, turning in her sleep.

"There's someone else here," Farayan replied, "We might have to run again."

Now, Ruby scrambled up into a sitting position, wide awake with her weapon in her hands. She scanned her surroundings before her gaze landed on the white-haired man and gasped. "Headmaster Ozpin?" she questioned, "What are you doing here?" Then, a thought crossed her mind. "You're not going to give Farayan to Atlas, are you?"

"Not exactly," Ozpin calmed, "I'm here to talk to Farayan here." He glanced at the boy in question. "If that is what you call yourself now."

Farayan narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"

"Tell me," Ozpin ignored his question, "Why did you whisk Ruby away again? I was under the impression that you called Miss Xiao Long to try and give her sister back."

The next moment, Ruby's piercing gaze bore through Farayan while he shifted uncomfortably. "You called her?" Ruby demanded, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Farayan rubbed the back of his neck. "It's a long story," he drawled.

"And this long story was created in just a few minutes?" Ozpin asked. Before Farayan could refute his point, the professor went on, "How much do you dislike Dr. Treuse?"

Farayan let out a low growl. "I'd prefer if she was dead," he answered with a burning fire in his stare.

"She did take you off the streets, cared for you, and gave you a chance to go back into society. You realize if there were no results for another year, Treuse would've let you back into the real world under the protection of the Atlesian government?"

The revelation let Farayan reeling, blinking to take in the information before his scowl returned. "I still want her dead. She put something else's blood in me!"

Ozpin nodded, understanding his frustrations, but his frown disagreed with Farayan's emotions. "I only have a few questions left," he went on, "How did you escape?"

Farayan blinked in confusion. "Pardon?"

"How did you escape the lab?" Ozpin asked, "From what the scientists could tell, you were attacked by the Grimm on your way out, and it tore through your shoulder. So how were you able to fend it off, escape the lab, and not only survive your injuries but heal quickly enough to make it here?"

By now, Farayan's heart was racing just as quickly as his mind, questions and doubts whirling around and freezing Farayan in a flurry of second-guessing. "It's…," he managed out, "It's a long story."

"Curious to how that's your answer to some critical events." Ozpin fished around in his pocket before pulling out a small device- his Scroll. With a few quick motions and taps of the screen, he tossed the Scroll to Farayan who caught it. "But then again, it isn't that surprising considered what the lab discovered a few days ago."

Farayan looked down, perplexed by Ozpin's statements, and then he couldn't peel his eyes away. On the screen was a teen, sitting in the corner of a room that looked more like a jail cell than a bedroom, though the white paint made it sure it wasn't either. The boy leaned against the corner, staring at the space in front of him with such a relaxed pose, Farayan couldn't tell if he was awake or not.

But what captivated Farayan was who the boy was. Short, black hair contrasted with empty blue eyes on a thin frame. Dressed in familiar gray rags, and the boy also had a bandage wrapped around his left shoulder. "That's-," he breathed, "That's me."

"That's Farayan," Ozpin confirmed, "In almost every sense of the word. It took a bit of effort to determine since you two have been swapping blood these past few years, but it's Farayan." Ozpin stared at the Farayan in front of him. "What's even more interesting is that," he nodded to the Scroll in the teen's hands, "is live."

"What?"

"Farayan right now is in Atlas, quite a way's away from here, sitting his room with no response for the past four days." Ozpin stood up, leaning forward against his cane firmly planted into the ground. Dread set in the two teens as his words sank in, neither one wanting to believe what was implied. "So, who is the young teen in front of me, then?" Ozpin asked.

Farayan felt his heart beat through his ears, his breath coming out in rapid, shallow gasps, and his head shook violently. "There's a mistake," he rambled, "I'm Farayan. I'm… well, _me_. There has to be a mistake."

"I believed so, too," Ozpin offered with a sad frown, "Until you answered my questions."

"You're wrong," he exclaimed, "I'm Farayan. I ran away from home when I was six because my mom died and my dad was a drunk. I got pulled in by Dr. Treuse and was injected with Grimm blood for the past three years. I studied history, science, math, reading, and anything else they threw at me."

On and on, Farayan listed every little detail he could think about himself. His run-ins with the police officers, the songs he listened to, and anything else small about him. All the while, Ozpin nodded along, studying the blubbering teenager on the brink of hysterics. "You really do act like yourself," he mused.

"I am," Farayan shouted.

"Then you can hopefully answer what your birthday is?"

A sense of confusion surged through Farayan's body before it chilled into horror. "I-I don't know," he conceded.

"Perhaps your mother's name? Your ability to fight off Penny Polendina?" Ozpin pressed.

By now, Farayan was holding his head in his hands, muttering, "No," over and over again to himself.

"Do you have any moments where you can't explain why you do certain actions? Any voices in your head that may not have been there before your escape?"

It all sounded insane. A Grimm inhabiting Farayan's body? Nothing about it made sense, but all evidence pointed towards the fact. The utterly insane fact. Hesitantly, Farayan thought, " _Hello?_ "

" _Well, the jig is up_."

In the next moment, Farayan was screaming in pain. His head felt like it was being split open with a jackhammer from the inside-out. As if someone was shoving someone else's mind inside the same skull. The other two individuals around him jumped back while they could only helplessly watch Farayan writher on the ground, yelling at the top of his lungs. The screams seemed to echo for minutes- hours-, but in reality, it was barely half a minute.

Finally, the aching stopped along with the screams. Farayan's breaths were still coming in gasps, but this time it was from recovery instead of panic. Ruby and Ozpin were still staring at the hunched-over boy. "Farayan?" Ruby called out in a timid voice.

Farayan sat back up on the back of his ankles, staring up at the sky as his breath evened out. It should've been a relief of seeing Farayan recovering, but it was all turned to horror by one small, little detail that destroyed the image.

The manic grin on Farayan's face, pair with the distant, out of touch look in his eyes. "Sorry, Farayan's not here at the moment," Farayan giggled, "He's a bit tongue-tied." Ruby held back a gasp, but any other words that would've come out of her mouth were interrupted by Farayan's yelp of pain. His breathing went ragged for a few seconds before it evened out again. "Wow," he panted, the insane smile never leaving his face, "Farayan still has some fight in him. I'm impressed."

Gears whirled when Ozpin brandished his cane, the end aimed at Farayan in a defensive stance. "Professor, no!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Get out of the boy," Ozpin growled.

"Oh, prof," Farayan clucked in disappointment. The boy got to his feet, dusting off his pants and turning to face Ozpin with a condescending look. "You really need to listen to yourself sometimes. I'm not in Farayan's body; Farayan is in _mine_."

Ozpin blinked in disbelief, his frown pronounced as he glared at the Grimm. "I thought your ability was to adapt to anything. What does taking Farayan's personality benefit you with?"

Farayan tilted his head, a bit confused. "Is that what the scientists told you? That's just a part of the whole thing." His smile reappeared, "It's more like I just take stuff. I've got hundreds of years of experience taking things. What you would call Beowolves, Nevermore, Boartusks- but Farayan was the first human I'd ever taken from."

Farayan laughed, "That was hard as well. Two years of taking in portions of his Aura through his blood, and I still had to take a portion of his body to take his appearance. But, it came with a lot more benefits." Then, in Ruby's voice, the teen went on, "Humans are so adept to change, I can take and learn things in days."

Ruby shivered at the unnaturalness, taking out her own weapon and aiming at Farayan. "Oh, come on," Farayan pouted in his own voice, his smile betraying his true emotions, "I'm sorry, but you helped me the most. You actually taught me how to act like a regular person." Ruby raised Crescent Rose and aimed it at Farayan. "You don't want to shoot," Farayan announced, "What if you kill Farayan along with me? Maybe you could save him."

At those words, Ruby's hands faltered, and her weapon lowered. The horror still wracked through her body, though, her breaths shallow as she bit back a scream that housed a flurry of emotions. "I trusted you!" Ruby screamed finally.

The Grimm smiled its signature, sinister grin. "Oh, you were right to trust Farayan," he admitted, "But the problem is he's a part of me now. Farayan really did care about you." Tears pricked at Ruby's eyes, broadening the War'Din's grin, "He was trying to protect you from everything."

"Then give him back," Ruby cried.

"No can do," Farayan smirked, "Don't know how to, and I wouldn't do it anyway. He'd probably die unless you stitch his soul back together." At his words, Ruby's heart dropped and her spirit split. The poor girl collapsed to her knees, choking back a sob before the dam burst. "Poor Ruby," Farayan cooed, "I might not have wanted to do that, huh?"

Farayan's speech would've gone on for a long time, most likely to stall for time to hatch an escape, but his ramblings were interrupted by a small dart stabbing the small of his back. He grunted, yanking it out and exposing the white projectile, but his knees started to weaken. Farayan swayed on his feet as the world seemed to do laps in his head. "No," he breathed. This time, another emotion seeped into his words.

Fear.

"I'm not going back," Farayan exclaimed, staggering to stay upright. Farayan stumbled away from where the dart came from, away from Ruby and Ozpin as well, but another dart found its target. When Farayan was still on his feet, albeit wavering dangerously, one last dart in the arm dropped him like a sack of stones, ending his connection with the conscious world as the tranquilizers did their job.

Out of the woods popped half a dozen Atlesian soldiers, all carrying rifles along with the rest of their white uniforms. Before anyone could make a move, however, Ozpin stepped forward with a fire in his eyes. "I thought I explicitly said that Farayan was mine to handle," he growled.

The soldiers back away while the headmaster's dangerous aura washed over them. One stuck out their chin defiantly, most likely the one in command. "Nevertheless, he's still Atlas property. And therefore, must be returned to Atlas for us to handle."

The soldier's confident demeanor wilted a moment after when Ozpin's steely gaze washed over him. Thankfully, another one of his crew came to his rescue. "I'm sorry, Headmaster, but this is to try and help Farayan. The real one. Dr. Treuse has considered it possible to try and do what the Grimm has hypothesized- sew together Farayan's soul back into his body."

Moments felt like hours as Ozpin stared down the Atlesians, the six of which shifted nervously in their boots. "Fine," he finally relented with a disgusted look, "But if you do manage to recover Farayan, you will immediately bring him to me."

The soldier in charge started to protest. "But sir, that's against our-."

"Make no mistake," Ozpin stated in a steady, barely restrained voice that could make fire freeze in its tracks, "Unless this is properly handled, I will see to it that each and every person involved in this… abomination of an experiment will have their lives shattered."

With hurried apologies and promises, the troops gave Ozpin their word before turning to be greeted by a sight. Ruby was hanging onto Farayan, trying to shake him awake. "It won't work, Miss," one guard called out, "He was hit by three darts, and it takes only one to stop an Ursa in its tracks."

"And you shot him with three?" Ruby screeched, her head whipping around as she glared at the one who spoke.

"L-like we said," he stuttered. Ruby's gaze was almost as intense, if not _as_ intense, as Ozpin's. "The Grimm is extremely resistant to things we've already hit it with."

If anything, his words enraged Ruby even more. "His name is Farayan," she snapped, "And he's not a Grimm!"

Someone tugged on her arm. "Ruby," Ozpin's voice sounded next to her, "Let go, please."

Ruby buried her head back into Farayan's shoulder, letting out a small, "No," in the process. "You're not taking him away." A few moments later, she felt the body she'd been holding onto shift. Then, Ruby realized it was four other people pulling on Farayan. "No," she repeated, desperation filling her voice, "Don't take him away!"

Another set of hands wrapped around Ruby as she was forced off Farayan's arm.

She screamed.

Ruby screamed as Farayan was hefted away. She screamed as Bullheads descended on them and separated the two even further. She screamed at Ozpin who stared at the group in defeat; at the pilot who whisked her away back to Beacon. Ruby yelled and cried until her throat couldn't take it anymore, and she still kept crying while her lungs gave up. She screamed all the way when they strapped her down to a hospital bed, and she kept screaming until she was put under while the doctors nursed her back to health.

All the while, Ozpin sighed. Ruby was back where she should be, and the Farayan ordeal had been solved. But still, he couldn't help but feel as if he'd lost.

It was a victory for all intents and purposes.

But at what cost for Ruby?

 **AN: You're welcome. I killed Farayan from Day one, and none of you noticed. There will be no Deus Ex Machina of Farayan's plot armor. He survived the rhino Grimm and Penny and the War'Din not because of luck or skill or me being a God of my story. He survived because the War'Din's a natural survivor. It's going to take the wheel whenever it feels like it.**

 **I've played you all like fools! You can never trust me! Farayan's dead! (*Cue maniacal laughter along with lightning and sinister organ music*)**

 **Well, dead in most senses of the term. I told you I'd show you one person who'd die in my story. (Okay, yeah, I'm evil.)**

 **But I've wanted to do this for so long. Where the villain is the main character and creates such a twist with so many hints without some bull crap like "He's actually the strongest person that will ever live!" Is killing Farayan 'Deus ex machina', though? I have no clue.**

 **But in all seriousness, this was supposed to be the end. When I started Chapter 1, I was planning for something like this to end the story and just let the rest of the events unfold as canon.**

 **But what would be the fun in that?**

 **Anyway, reviews!**

 **EdenAngel7: Well, Yang probably doesn't know why Farayan whisked Ruby away again. And judging by her nature to not exactly think things through before rushing in and her overprotective nature, I made some educated assumptions.**

 **Also, thank you! I strive to play with souls.**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Roman's making his appearance, and boy oh boy you're going to love what I'm going to let him do. Cinder and Co.? I'm not spoiling anything.**

 **Also, I told you in advanced I was sorry. I'll say it again, just because this is that moment of, "It can't get any worse."**

 **AHBookWorm7: And I just shattered that dynamic. Whoops.**

 **Anyways, that's the chapter!**

 **Signing off as your resident villain, Flames of Fire.**


	11. Chapter 11: Forget Me

**AN: Merry Christmas, and have a happy nondescript holiday to you all! I'm sorry about this being the only chapter this month, but finals and life have taken more of a toll. (aka. I actually got sorta lazy and found myself playing too much Final Fantasy.)**

 **Anyway, have a great rest of the year, and enjoy reading!**

 **Disclaimer: You know what, don't let me own RWBY or Rooster Teeth. Even with their long expositions and drawn-out explanations and fairy tale themes, it's still better than the where mine is going to go.**

Chapter 11: Forget Me

Ruby hated it.

The instant she was forced into the hospital, nurses and doctors kept coming and going, determining what was wrong with her health from the past week or so. So far, they'd found three half-mended ribs, malnutrition, sleep deprivation, and still, she remained in the hospital after all those were treated.

All while she wondered the same questions that plagued her mind. Where was Farayan now? What was going to happen to him? Could he be saved from the Grimm inside him?

Worse, the nurses didn't ridicule Ruby for her questions, nor did they spite Farayan for being the supposed terrorist like he was portrayed. No, they did something much worse.

They pitied Ruby.

All those condescending stares, all the moments they listened to Ruby ask desperately about Farayan's state and her fixation on the boy. It would've been so much better if they'd shown any anger towards the boy, that way Ruby could have the satisfaction of being in the right. But no, they sent their sympathies to Ruby and her supposed delusions, like she was a traumatized teen with a hyperactive imagination.

Ruby hated all of them, but not as much as the man sitting in front of her.

The Psychologist.

He seemed so helpful at first, listening attentively as Ruby laid on her bed, trying her hardest to ignore him. And when he asked for who Farayan was, Ruby gave her heart out. She explained how they met in the first place, how considerate was to keep her safe. Ruby talked about the lengths he went to make sure she was alright, painting stories of Farayan facing down their first Grimm encounter without having any idea what he was doing and their time in Topaz Town. She teared up at the revelations that Farayan was never really there and cried when recounting his own kidnapping.

It felt so nice to let go of her emotions, just sitting in a seat while rambling away, the psychologist calmly listening while nodding every so often before jotting down a few notes. After every session, he'd smile at Ruby, give her a quick clap on the shoulder, and said, "You're an incredible woman, Miss Rose. Don't let this incident muddle your future."

After a dozen or so of these sessions lasting hours at a time, Ruby was done with her entire story and most of her venting, being cooped up in a stifling hospital room forever. The next session, though, was a slap in the face. The psychologist came with a few pages of Ruby's diagnosis and handed them to her, sprawled with a mess of complicated-looking words and sophisticated language- Ruby didn't understand a fourth of what any of it meant.

As she skimmed over the words with glazed eyes, the man tried to explain his notes, "Well, nothing is out of the ordinary for your situation. A slight stutter and shyness when we first met, social after a few days, with maybe a certain reluctance of trusting. Not unusual after a case of Stockholm Syndrome."

Ruby snapped out of her drowsy trance and stared at the adult. "What did you say?" she questioned.

"Stockholm Syndrome," he repeated, "It's found in patients that suffer-."

"I know what it is," Ruby snapped, sitting up rigid with a hint of steel in her stare. "I've read enough stories to know what that means." Neither spoke for a few moments. "Is that all you think this is?" Ruby whispered.

The psychologist actually looked startled by Ruby's sudden change in mood. "Well, naturally that's the most reasonable and common diagnosis of your perceived symptoms, and-."

"I'm not in love with Farayan!" Ruby shouted, "He just saved my life because he's human and because he actually cares!"

The psychologist tiled his head, a questioning look studying Ruby. "But I thought you said that Farayan was a Grimm," he inquired.

"He was- is," Ruby huffed, "And he didn't kidnap me, just protected me!"

Sometimes, a professional opinion helps things immensely, giving a trusted source a chance to voice their thoughts. But now, Ruby would rather hear anyone's voice but the one sitting in front of her. "Justification of actions," the psychologist listed, "attachment to the captor, hints of delusions-."

"I'm not delusional!" Ruby yelled.

The psychologist, however, didn't relent that easily. "Farayan is apparently both human and a Grimm, experimentations by executives in Atlas's government, robots that attack- it does seem a bit fantastical, does it not?"

"Because they actually happened," Ruby exclaimed, "What don't you understand?"

"Miss Rose, from an outside perspective, this is the best diagnosis I can give you. All symptoms line up, and I can't exactly say I agree that these androids or Grimm-Human hybrids exist, can I?"

A few moments of silence passed as Ruby curled her knees back into her chest, then Ruby murmured something too low for the man to hear. "What was that?"

"Get out," Ruby repeated, this time louder but still muffled by her position.

Of course, the psychologist frowned at that, looking quite indignant at the blatant malice being directed toward him. Still, he tried on a small smile for Ruby. "Well, this is my office," he pointed out.

That was enough of an invitation for Ruby. She swung her legs over the edge of her seat, standing and making her way over to the door. "Don't plan on me coming back," Ruby sighed.

"Now, Ruby."

"I thought I could trust you," Ruby interrupted, silencing the man, "Not to keep secrets, or to do anything. I just wanted you to listen and understand."

By now, the psychologist was getting irritated. "But I was listening for the past few weeks."

A chuckle escaped Ruby, lacking the humor or sincerity a chuckle should have. "Your diagnosis really shows that," she sneered, "Stockholm Syndrome- nicely analyzed." And with that, Ruby threw the door open, letting it click shut behind her as the nurse standing outside the room berate her. She barely heard a word of the nurse's seemingly endless rant as she was ushered back into the office multiple times, and eventually, the nurse sighed as Ruby was led back to her bed, sitting on the bed in the same balled-up position that she'd been used to for a long time.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Days passed and Ruby was still stuck in her mood, with that empty feeling sitting in the back of her heart as she went through routine after routine with a forced smile. Then, the doctors decided another visit wouldn't hurt, this time with more promise than the psychologist could've ever provided.

Ruby was still sitting on her bed, idly twiddling her thumbs on the Scroll the doctors gave her to use as she searched for any news on Farayan. And without any indication it was going to happen, the door slammed open as a yellow blur stood for just an instant before enveloping Ruby in her arms. She only just let out a squeak of surprise when another two girls entered. "Yang?" Ruby asked, pulling out her trapped arms to give her sister a hug.

The blonde just nodded as she tightened her hold on Ruby as Blake and Weiss filed in on either side of the bed. "You're back," Yang murmured into her sister's hospital gown.

Ruby basked in the comfort, sinking her head into her sister's mane of a hair. Then, after the moment was gone, she sighed with a heavy heart at what she left. "But I didn't bring back Farayan," she replied. At her words, Yang stiffened under Ruby's arms, making the girl pull back. "What?" she asked.

Instead of a response, Yang just shot Ruby a small and forced grin. "Nothin', Rubes," she reassured, "Just happy your back."

"What happened to Farayan?" Ruby demanded.

Now, the fire started to reignite in the fiery blonde's eyes. "He took you away," Yang explained.

Ruby slumped back in her bed with a prolonged groan, closing her eyes and biting back a snarky response. "I already told the psychologist," she groaned, "He didn't kidnap me, he was caring for me."

"Even after your visit to Topaz Town?"

Ruby opened one eye and spotted Yang's huff as she crossed her arms under her chest. "He called me while you were there, did you know that?" Yang asked.

Ruby hesitated before she drawled, "Ozpin mentioned it when they took us in."

"Not any time before that?" Yang questioned.

The girl in question ducked her head, not meeting Yang's eyes for a while. "No," she managed out, "But he wanted to leave me behind in the town…"

"Then why did you stay with him? You could've told someone-."

"And what, let Farayan get captured? We had a plan to go to Patch-."

"You were going to Patch?"

"I was going to leave when we got there so I could see him in the summers and breaks!"

"But why did you join him?" Yang asked, "Why didn't you tell him where Patch was and come back?"

"I was scared for him, okay?" Ruby exclaimed, making the three girls jolt and step back, "What if something happened to him, or he got caught, or if he hurt someone else-?"

"But if you thought he would hurt someone," Weiss inquired, "Why did you go with him?"

"Because he never hurt me!" Ruby was almost shouting at this point, the same fire building inside her as it had been in Yang, "He never hurt anyone while I was around, and even with Penny he stopped-."

"Hold on," Weiss interrupted, "Penny? What Penny?"

"A girl that attacked us," Ruby explained without a second thought, "The point is what if Farayan would hurt someone when I _wasn't_ around? I couldn't just abandon him like that!"

"And what about us?" Yang yelled back. Ruby froze in mid-shout and turned to her sister, flinching back when she saw the tears start to build. "Why did you leave for us?"

"I…" Ruby stammered, "I couldn't just leave Farayan…"

"So you decided to leave us instead?" Yang demanded.

"No, that's not it," Ruby rambled, eyes as wide as saucers, "I just wanted to save Farayan."

"The one that-."

"Yang," Blake exclaimed, pushing Yang back and glaring at the blonde, "This isn't what we planned to do." There was a glaring match between the two for a bit, then Yang turned to her horrified sister, mouth agape with a distant look in her eyes from Yang's words. And the anger just died, replacing it with guilt and emptiness.

Sighing, Yang went back to hugging Ruby, but it wasn't reciprocated as Ruby stared at her sister, hurt. Blake threw back her head and blew out a puff of frustrated air. This was absolutely not how anything was supposed to go.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Her time with the rest of RWBY was… tenser than she wanted it to be. It was fun, absolutely, but the argument between Yang and Ruby didn't exactly relieve any tension. And to make matters worse, Blake and Weiss were best described as "barely tolerable." The animosity between them didn't go further than snide remarks, but from what Yang experienced, that was for Ruby's sake.

With Ruby out with Farayan and Yang hung up on her sister's "kidnapping", there was no moderator between the two polar opposites. A time when they didn't argue was sparser than when they were. Or at least, when they weren't glaring daggers at each other. Sometimes it was blatantly ignoring the other, like what happened periodically with Ruby, but with no one else besides JNPR tampering them down, the tension anywhere near the two girls thickened even if they weren't talking.

It was peaceful when they left. Not good or bad, just peaceful, getting back into the boring routine the doctors followed. Ruby had only just recovered from her last visit when the next one tried to destabilize her. Because life just didn't want to make it easy for her, it seemed. Ruby was expecting one of the routine check-ups when the door opened. She wasn't expecting a redhead in green overalls, hair coming down in curls, with one green eye distinctly darker than the emerald green. "You!" Ruby exclaimed, shooting up with a scowl.

Penny jumped back, surprised by the normally upbeat girl's deviation. "Hello, Ruby," she greeted meekly.

Another man stepped into the room, but Ruby's eyes were still fixated on the anxious girl. "What is she doing here?" she demanded.

"She," the man spoke before Penny could, clapping a hand down onto her shoulder, "Is here on my account." He smiled at Ruby who continued to glare at the android. "Nice to meet you, Miss Rose."

Finally, her gaze turned to the prime and prim gentleman, complete with his white suit and barely graying hair. "And who are you?" Ruby asked.

"General Ironwood," he introduced himself. Upon his title, Ruby huffed with a distasteful look. "I will assure you," Ironwood went on, noticing her expression, "I had nothing to do with Project Lusus Naturae besides shedding a bit of light for Ozpin and myself."

Ruby's previous scowl toned down until it was only annoyance, her glare returning every time her eyes strayed back to Penny. "And why'd you bring her back?" she asked, "You know what happened last time."

Penny flinched again as she responded with a quick, "This was the General's idea."

"What she means," Ironwood gave the girl a pointed look, "She is one of the only ones that truly know what you have experienced. So, I thought that this would be a nice way of… closure, if you would."

Ruby nodded, seeing the reason in his words, yet she also saw exactly how it could work out in the entirely opposite way. "What do you mean by closure?" Ruby asked.

Penny didn't answer her question- well, not with an answer. "What was Farayan like?"

Ruby's expression brightened at that as she launched them into her tale, giving Penny a look of sympathy when they reached her moments, skimming over those details as quickly as she could. But everything else was in excruciatingly fine detail. Not that Ironwood or Penny minded- quite the opposite. They were happy that the animated girl seemed to be back to her old, happy self and her bubbly attitude.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Penny's visit left Ruby in high spirits for the rest of the day, and her day got even better when the doctors cleared Ruby to leave in three days or less. The smile permeated her lips at the prospect of returning something to normal, even if her heart was still heavy from all the reminiscing she had to do before Ironwood and Penny left.

And before she went to sleep, she got another surprise. This time, she heard the person before he even appeared. A collection of "Sir, you can't go in there," and, "Please leave this wing" rang out from the hallway, out of sight as Ruby sat up, interested at the commotion going on, hidden away from her for the moment. But along with the noises was a distinct patter of feet, along with a metallic clatter, like something was methodically tapped against the ground. She got her answer a few short moments later when the black cane appeared, followed closely by the man in his regular black and green suit, serious and steady eyes staring behind a pair of small spectacles.

"It's alright," Ozpin assured the half-dozen nurses and doctors behind him, "I believe Ruby would like to hear what I have to say."

"Headmaster," one nurse tried, "I have to request for you to please leave this wing for our patients' privacy. Not even a person of your stat-."

"Can he stay?" Ruby piped up, "I want to know what he says." She turned to Ozpin with eager eyes, "Is it on Farayan? Where is he? How's he doing?"

Ozpin gave the group behind him a pointed look. "I believe she's requested my audience, however."

One nurse frowned. "I highly doubt that conversing with her about this… 'Farayan' person would be detrimental to her growth."

A quick wave of his hand and Ozpin was refocused back on Ruby. "I'm sure it has the potential, but it will do her good for her in the long run. As long as the truth isn't held from her."

For a few seconds, the doctors and nurses conversed before eventually relenting after a plethora of strict orders and restrictions, along with more than enough reminders to what would happen if anything was violated. And they were gone, closing the door behind them and leaving Ozpin alone with an overeager Ruby. "So," Ruby implored, "What is it?"

Ozpin paced over, his posture straightened and firm as he pulled up a chair. He sat down, cane planted in front of him with his hands resting on the head while he stared at Ruby behind his crossed thumbs. "Farayan went back to the lab."

Already, Ruby's heart plummeted a bit before lifting back up. "And? Did they cure him? Is he back to normal?"

More questions would've come out like a flood, but Ozpin lifted a brief finger before sighing. "No, they didn't find a way to cure him." Ruby's spirit dropped. "War'Din-."

"His name's Farayan," Ruby corrected without hesitation.

"Yes," Ozpin sighed, "Farayan. He seems to be… deteriorating. Not physically, but mentally. Hasn't said a word since he arrived at the compound. Brain activity seems to suggest that either hyperactivity while the Grimm inside him plans to escape-."

"They wouldn't make the same mistake twice," Ruby put in.

Ozpin nodded, allowing a smile at her inquisitive nature. "That's putting it mildly. But the other scenario isn't as helpful as the former." Ruby's blood froze. What was worse than an actual hopeless cause of Farayan staying indefinitely in the facility. "Their second theory- that Dr. Treuse offered- is a battle of their minds, each one fighting for dominance."

Ruby's breath hitched as she tried on a hopeful look. "So Farayan's still in there?"

"Positively." Now, to Ruby's dread, Ozpin's face drooped with a dark expression. "But there are only a few outcomes that would seem likely. The most unlikely of which include Farayan regaining control of a body. Second best-case scenario- the Grimm and Farayan both tire each other out and end in a certain… limbo, as Treuse called it."

"And worst-case?" Ruby inquired with tears brimming.

Ozpin hesitated. "The War'Din retakes control of its body and decides Farayan is no longer necessary for its survival."

It seemed too soon that Ruby was curled up into the same ball all over again, stemming back the flow of tears with her knees. "And Farayan would die," Ruby sniffled.

"From their perspective, the scientists give another day for any response before they determine Farayan as a lost cause. 'Better to save end an experiment before it gets out of hand', is what they'd say."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Three days had gone by, and Ozpin hadn't shown up again. Ruby was sitting on her bed- her actual one. In her own dorm, surrounded by vaguely familiar posters and bookshelves, and not white walls and disinfectant spray. Ozpin promised Ruby for any positive update on Farayan's health in the upcoming days.

And about two days ago, Ruby began crying.

Which was worse- the utter silence and isolation, or the knowledge that Farayan was gone? It didn't matter to Ruby; both were happening at the same time. Every night she found herself with bloodshot eyes and wet cheeks, brushing them away before Yang could wake up as well. Only a few times did anyone spot the signs, but it was brushed off. People walked up to her with sympathetic looks and condolences, thinking her tears were from PTSD or Stockholm Syndrome or whatever diagnosis the doctors cocked up. JNPR showed it the least, giving Ruby genuine smiles and taking her in to play a video game or two with Jaune and Nora or a brief chat with the other, less open members.

Surprising to Ruby, though, was the one who showed her the most comfort. It wasn't Yang because of her dislike of Farayan, "manipulating" her sister. Nor was it her teachers or Weiss and their indifference yet subtle comfort. It was Blake. Looking back, it wasn't that difficult to see. Two girls with friends isolated by society, misunderstood because of their circumstances, and trying desperately to show common knowledge of their situation- Blake's race and Ruby's "diagnosis"- was wrong in all the wrong ways. When Ruby came back for the first time, Blake took Ruby under an arm, just sitting on her bed as Yang doted about her and Weiss hung back a few paces with a soft expression.

And the third night was when the dreams started happening.

Ruby woke up to a pressure poking at her shoulder. She rolled away, squinting her eyes while she pulled her blanket closer to her body. "Go away," she mumbled.

"Can't do that," a blood-chillingly familiar voice rang beside her ear.

The next instant, Ruby was sitting up and was about to squeal at the top of her lungs, fully awake, but a finger pressing against her mouth stopped her. "Can't wake the others," Farayan grinned, "Or else they'll put me away as well."

Ruby's mouth flapped open and close, trying to find the words. In the end, she flung her arms around the boy, smiling as she felt Farayan hug her in return. "How are you here?" she whispered.

"That's not important." Gently, she was pushed back until Ruby could catch Farayan's eyes. And yet again, her blood froze. It was her Farayan, absolutely, but the dullness in his eyes. It was the exact same shade back at their stay in Topaz.

The very same shade when Farayan tried to leave.

"We-," Ruby stammered, "We could tell Ozpin. He could give you something, or at least he'd let you-."

"Ruby," Farayan interrupted with a smile, "I have a message."

Ruby shifter herself into a more comfortable position. "I'm listening."

The smile never left Farayan's face, but neither did the blank eyes. "You have to actually follow it," he teased while adding, "Not like what you did with your music choice. Still have to improve on that."

Ruby stifled a giggle before replying, "Fine. What is it?"

"Forget me."

For a moment, Ruby forgot how to move, her smile still present and her heart-stopping its fidgety bouncing. "What?" she managed to choke out.

"Move on," Farayan ushered, "Live your life here. Stop thinking about me. I'll even make it easier for you: by getting you angry."

"How?" Ruby choked on her tears.

Farayan ruffled her hair, using his other hand to give Ruby a salute. "By not giving you a chance to say goodbye."

And as Ruby processed his words, she felt a slight breeze, instinctively shivering in the brisk autumn air. The next thing she knew, Farayan was gone, and the windows were open. "Farayan, wait," Ruby cried, leaping off the bed and hanging out the window with both hands holding the frame. No sign of him, just the empty night and bright city giving her a horrifyingly uninterrupted view. No winged creature gliding away, no person standing and giving her a smile to know everything was okay. Just the blissfully, sad emptiness. "Farayan," she yelled again.

"Ruby!" Arms wrapped around her waist and stomach as she was dragged back in, kicking and screaming at her teammates to let her go. The three girls had woken up to see a tear-stricken Ruby, yelling "Farayan" at the top of her lungs while barely still in the room, tipping over at an unnatural angle. "She actually tried it," Weiss gasped, holding Ruby's arm as she thrashed in her teammates' grasps.

"Farayan was there," Ruby sobbed, "He was there!"

Trashes turned into weak jerks as Ruby kept crying away, turning to her friends as she cried into someone's shoulder. Goodwitch came around in her nightgown, glowering as she was interrupted by a bunch of dorms complaining about someone screaming. But when she flicked on the lights, she couldn't exactly bring herself to scream at Ruby and the girls trying to comfort her broken figure.

" _Forget me._ "

Absolutely not.

 **AN: Dang it, Farayan, you had one job! Anyway, hey guys. Fireflame again. Well, Ruby's emotionally crippled. It's sadly satisfying to do this. J.K. Rowling apparently cried when writing the death of one of her characters, but I just don't feel it. Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing, considering what I just did with Farayan, but oh well.**

 **Anyways, onto reviews!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Yes, about all of that... No, it's not a possession of the soul. It's basically stealing whatever attributes of whatever War'Din needs, and it decided Farayan was in the best interest to take. Farayan is in it, yep. Think of it as Dr. Jekkle, Mr. Hyde. But with the Joker as one of the personalities. Or is that actually one of the personalities, I haven't read the book.**

 **AHBookworm7: Should I could it as actually dead or just "KIA"? And I believe you've got an idea for a cover, but if you don't, 2 more chapters wouldn't hurt.**

 **Jalen890: That's my purpose. To show something new!**

 **Lucifer Daemon: You'll probably have to wait... a bit less than forever most likely.**

 **And that's it! Hope you enjoyed, because I will try and see you guys at New Years.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	12. Chapter 12: A Time to Be Alive

**AN: Look, I'm sorry this took so long. It's just that, school. Ugh, I actually hate high school- not because of stress or tests or teachers. I hate how everything's so bland. Oh well, back to murdering off characters while developing insanity! Ah, it's so good to say that without being sent to a mental hospital or seen as completely insane. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I own about 3.14% of what you're seeing. Mainly my attitude, Farayan, and the story. So, if something gives me money… why? It's Rooster Teeth's.**

Chapter 12: A Time to Be Alive

Another scientist passed War'Din's cage, peering inside with closed-off interest as his buddy jotted a few more observations down on his pad. "Still maintaining that appearance, is it?" the scientist observed.

Without looking, his companion nodded as they walked away, leaving the Grimm alone with its thoughts. Well, alone meaning no _body_ else was near him. The creature was pressed up against the far side of the glass display case the scientists "gracefully" put it in to heal it. Knees pulled up against its chest with a distant look in the red eyes, the War'Din really didn't have that air to him of a caged animal, more like a stunned child. And considering what happened to the soul inhabiting it, that was what they expected would happen.

All that activity in his brain, yet still no signs of life for the past three or so weeks. In all honesty, the Grimm didn't keep track of time, but the scientists did with their routine checks. And on that last day, something special started to happen.

It was being moved.

Not the War'Din, no- the cage. Too messy to clean up remains when you could just bury them instead. And that's how the Grimm found itself cooped up in a pitch-black box as it bounced up every now and again, the truck jostling along a dirt path. Eventually, they came to a stop, and the creature heard the engine die down, the doors opening and slamming from what it assumed was the front of the truck. Still, the balled-up figure didn't move as much as an eyelid. Even as panic slowly set in, and its eyes went wide with fear, the War'Din was still locked in its mind. " _Now would be a good time to agree on something_ ," it growled at the other voice in his head.

Still no movement.

With a second voice now aware of the War'Din's existence, he was surely making the creature's life a nightmare. At least, what little it had left. " _I'd rather not die here,_ " the War'Din thought, their body breathing harder and with a definite panic.

That was apparently was the magic phrase as Farayan loosened his ironclad grip on their body. "Well, thank you kindly," the creature finally exclaimed out loud. It threw its body against the glass cage, only to bounce back, to its annoyance. The War'Din was about to try again, but it was interrupted by a sudden sound that it wasn't expecting.

Gunshots rang in the air, right outside the truck, and the War'Din dived onto its stomach, only to realize the light wasn't shining through where the bullet holes should have been as none of them were actually directed at the truck. "Someone doesn't want me dead?" The creature wondered aloud. "That's a first."

And finally, the creature got its first glimpse of sunlight in a long time when the back doors opened, making it squint as it put up a hand to block out the light. "There you are, miss." A silhouette spoke. The voice was vaguely familiar, but the War'Din was sure exactly who it was.

Another person peered inside the truck, her frame still hidden by the light shining behind her and blinding the Grimm. All it could tell was that she was a woman, judging by the hourglass figure. "I thought I ordered a nigh-unstoppable force of nature," she scoffed.

" _I don't know that voice_ ," the Grimm thought.

"I-I can assure you," the first man spoke. Judging by the stammer, he was trying very hard not to anger this mystery woman. "This is the Grimm."

A third head poked from around the corner, wearing a hat of some sort. It was a second before he said anything. "Gotta say," he started, "was not expecting Little Red of all people to be a feisty Grimm."

Someone, presumably the scientist, finally had the sense of letting the Grimm see its surroundings, the walls around it whirling and collapsing down, leaving only the glass interior remaining. The Grimm was blinded once more before its eyes adjusted, and the figures became more than just voices and silhouettes. "So, you sold me out," the War'Din mused, looking at the two unfamiliar faces next to the scientist.

"It has the Grimm's eyes," the scientist went on. Dr. Alb, if the creature remembered correctly. "The subject is only in one of its… forms."

"And what made it default to this one?" The woman squatted down to examine the creature in the box. "And not, say, it's Grimm one with all the horrifying features you told us?"

The War'Din folded its arms under its chest. "Personal reasons," it replied, "Now, who are you, people? I'm not about to reveal anything unless I see a reason- not what I grew up to be."

The two newcomers exchanged glances, the woman seeming to have more of a say in this decision. After a prolonged staring contest, they turned back to the Grimm. "I am Cinder," the woman introduced herself as she got to her feet.

The other man twirled his bowler hat before dipping into an exaggerated bow. "Roman Torchwick- Crime boss extraordinaire."

And with a flourish, the War'Din sprang to its feet, making the same gestures that Roman did, minus the hat. "Farayan Shen- lab rat and Atlas's number one 'Most Wanted'." From the looks that Torchwick and Cinder were giving him, they had widely different reactions to its sarcastic intro, based on the grin and frown respectively. "Now," the creature went on, "What is your nefarious plan you have in store for me?"

At its words, the pair gave the War'Din surprised looks, both tampered down to only raised eyebrows. "Oh, come on," the Grimm retorted, "I'm here for an execution, the other scientists are dead somewhere because you killed them and hid the bodies, and you're being all secretive about breaking a lab experiment out of its death. Either you're really concerned about me, or you have some grand plan that involves me."

Cinder grinned, the humor in her expression only matched by the dark vibe radiating off her. "Very perceptive," she complimented. "But what makes you think I need you? I could just as easily leave you here to die."

"Well," the War'Din mused, "You wouldn't spend this much time to get into Atlas's system, call in however many favors, and do all this scheming for nothing, would you?"

Before Cinder could fire off another retort, Torchwick interrupted with a hearty laugh. "The kid's smart," he grinned, "We should really get him on the team." He wilted under Cinder's glare, "But it's your call, right?"

Once Torchwick was reminded of his place- at least, in the War'Din's eyes-, Cinder turned back to the creature at hand. "Why are you in that form?" she asked.

"What, this?" The War'Din looked down and gestured to its own body. Or rather, the one it was imitating. Not the nightmare-fuel its original one held or the one Farayan "oh-so-gladly" lent him, no. This time, he took enough Aura to take a particular figure's look. "It's a good body," the Ruby look-alike chattered, "Young, fit, and very innocent." It looked exactly like Ruby would in the rags it had on. From the height and shape to the mop of unruly black and red hair, all that was off was the blood-red eyes staring back at the adults. The War'Din looked up and gave a feral grin to Cinder, marring such a happy face with a twisted look. "This is the best look for one of the darkest creatures on the planet."

Cinder only gave it a blank look, examining the Grimm while nodding along to its reasons. "How inclined are you to get out of this cage?" she asked.

"Very." The Ruby look-alike stretched its arms high above itself. "Since I'm supposed to die in here, I'd rather not stay in it So, what are we doing then- underground crime? Becoming bandits? Ooh, or overthrowing a government?"

Torchwick smirked. "How does 'Ruler of the World' sound?" he chimed in.

The War'Din tilted its head in mock-consideration. "It does have a nice ring to it. What do you think?"

"I'd prefer-," Cinder started.

The Grimm held up a hand, turning to the side. "Not talking to you, Lady. Talking to the Man Upstairs."

" _Is that my title now?_ " Farayan thought.

" _Yep._ "

The War'Din could actually feel the anger and tiredness radiating in Farayan- its own mind. His own mind. Wow, that was going to get confusing. " _You know I can lock you down again, so you can't do anything. You know that, right?_ "

"What do you want then _?_ "

It was unsettling for the two adults to watch a person debate with the second voice in their head, despite how insane Torchwick claimed to be. "Why do you want me to keep away from her?" Pause. "I know that, but you won't see her either." Another pause. "So, keep away from all of those guys, make sure they stay alive and hang out with her. Is that all? You want fries with that or anything?" The War'Din started to look annoyed as he conversed with his invisible friend. "Well, how can I make sure they're safe and talk to Rubes without visiting them? I gotta have some leeway!" A quick beat before the Grimm fired back, "What do you mean, 'you'll visit them'? This is my body if you forgot!"

A few minutes of this back and forth with a Grimm and itself started to drive the two adults mad. "Fine, fine, I'll let you do that," the War'Din grumbled, "I remember why I hated kids so much now." It looked up to see a bemused Torchwick and an annoyed Cinder staring back. "I'll join you as long as I get whatever Farayan gets. And if you're planning for world domination, it's not that big of a deal."

"Um," Torchwick eventually spoke, "What _are_ your friend's stipulations?"

The Grimm gave him a questioning look before laughing in understanding. "Whoops," it jested, "I guess Farayan's not as vocal out loud." The creature looked around at the cage it was in. "So, can we go somewhere else for this conversation? Like a sketchy bar or an abandoned warehouse that you have your headquarters in? Like the ones regular villains such as yourselves love?"

Before Cinder could take it up on the offer, they were once again reminded of someone else's presence. "Cinder," Dr. Alb piped up with a slight stutter, "I hope my debts have been forgiven now. That is if you would be so kind?"

Already, the doctor realized his mistake when all three nefarious beings stared at him with a variety of looks- the most prominent of which were the Grimm's inquisitive look and Cinder's death stare. "That's right, you're still here," the War'Din proclaimed. "Dr. Alb, was it?" When the creature received a nod, it went on with its bone-chilling stare. "You were the one that silently jeered me every time you looked at me."

"Now, that was a misunderstanding, you see-."

"Can I kill him?" The War'Din looked to Cinder for permission, hope shining in its eyes. Not to mention the lust for blood.

Dr. Alb's blood froze when Cinder started to smirk. "Be reasonable," he blurted with wide eyes, "I was the one that helped free you! You can't just-."

"I'm sure you'll see I can do many things," Cinder interrupted, the doctor clamming up along with his palms. The seconds passed as the War'Din stared gleefully at Alb, turning the short period into an eternity. "Let's not start off with bloodshed," Cinder eventually said. "After all, with all of the scientists dead, they'll assume you escaped and not died."

The War'Din threw its head back with an exasperated groan, but it didn't object. "Fine, but I get to call in a favor!" It turned back to the gulping scientist, its grin menacing as it bared its teeth at him. "You're lucky that you killed the rest of them."

Torchwick grinned at its childish nature before frowning. "Err," he started, "What should we call you then? War'Din or Farayan? 'Cause that's going to be extremely confusing even without the other voice in your head."

The Grimm tilted its head, deep in thought. "I don't know," it replied. "Farayan's the other guy, and War'Din… I don't like it." A full minute passed while Cinder glared at her newest addition, oblivious to anything around him. "How about Ash?" it suddenly suggested, "Ruby gave me that name, and I like it."

Cinder gave an exasperated sigh as she gestured with a quick wave of her hand. "Yes, yes, can you two get your minds straight? We should leave around now."

"Before we do," Ash put in, much to the annoyance of Cinder, "I'm gonna call in that favor."

"What?" she snapped.

Ash gave Cinder a small but unusually serious stare. "Can you get me into Beacon?"

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Why did I let you drag me to do this?" Ash wondered aloud.

" _Because I can always try and shut down your body whenever I want,_ " Farayan thought back.

"You actually can't, but to humor you, I'll just say why not." At the moment, Ash was perched on the window of RWBY's dorm, trading its Ruby-form in favor of Farayan's, complete with the same disturbingly blue hoodie and the black pants he'd worn on the run. Ash looked at the Scroll Cinder had given him a few days earlier before pocketing it again. "You've got five minutes," the Grimm said aloud.

And in the next moment, Farayan regained the reigns. He pushed open the pulled open the window and stepped into the pitch-black room, the only light being the moonlight bathing from the window and the red numbers a clock was projecting somewhere on the opposite side of the room. Despite the lack of light, Farayan could still see perfectly because there were at least some perks to having a creature of night stuck in your brain. Or, being stuck in its brain.

A quick glance at the two bunk beds told where Ruby was- only she would be optimistic and reckless enough to think ropes holding up a bed would work out. Farayan snuck his way onto the edge of the bed, making out Ruby's slender frame curled up away from him. Her shoulders rose and fell every so often, so peaceful and unaware of the real world as Ruby dreamt away.

" _Creep,_ " Ash grinned in their mind.

And with the moment thoroughly ruined, Ash's little interjection snapped Farayan back out of his musings. He shook his head to clear his mind before he shook Ruby's shoulder. More as a small prod, but it did its job. "Go away," Ruby muttered, pulling her blanket closer and rolling away from the pressure.

Just hearing her voice made Farayan grin. "Can't do that," he whispered back.

With less noise than Farayan thought was possible, Ruby flipped over and stared at the impossible figure, jaw dropped in shock. The corners of her mouth curled upwards into a smile as she inhaled for a screech. And a heartbeat later, Farayan's finger was on her lips. "Can't wake the others," he shushed, "or else they'll pull me away as well."

He watched as Ruby mouthed words, speechless. When they still wouldn't come out, she threw her arms around Farayan, and he gladly returned the hug. "How are you here?" Ruby demanded while she pulled away, holding Farayan by the shoulders.

" _And now, kiss,_ " Ash sang.

And to start the trend, Farayan promptly ignored Ash. "That's not important," he replied.

" _Bad news alert,_ " Ash sounded in their mind when Ruby's eyes turned from a delighted twinkle to a concerned stare.

"We- we could tell Ozpin!"

" _Please don't._ "

"He could give you something, or at least he'd let you-."

Farayan smiled- it was fun watching Ruby ramble on like that-, but he had to interrupt. "Ruby, I have a message."

She shifted to a more attentive position. "I'm listening."

"You actually have to follow it. Not like what you did with your music choice- still have to improve on that."

" _Really? You have to criticize stuff now?_ "

Ruby took Farayan out of his frown with a small giggle. "Fine, what is it?"

"Forget me."

Farayan watched as Ruby's face froze. Not just retain its smile or take a moment, she just stared blankly ahead as the cogs restarted behind her eyes. " _I think you broke her._ " Ash cooed.

"W-what?" Ruby choked.

"Move on," Farayan ushered. "Live your life here. Stop thinking about me."

" _Time's up._ "

Farayan froze up as Ruby continued to stare at him with a look of disbelief. " _No, let me keep talking._ "

Too late, he was kicked out of the driver's seat as Ash took over, maintaining their smile. But a sinister glimmer started to shine from the backs of their eyes. "I'll even make it easier for you: by getting you angry."

"How?" Ruby started to tear up.

Ash ruffled her hair before sending a salute. "By not giving you a chance to say goodbye." Despite Farayan's protests and his attempts to shove against the beast's influence, they were out the window with a quick flap of their Nevermore wings, and when Ruby started to scream Farayan's name, they landed behind the corner of a nearby building while the poor girl emptied her lungs into the night sky.

" _Why did you do that?_ " Farayan demanded.

Shrugging, Ash tried to put on an indifferent expression, but Farayan could see the grin in the Grimm's mind. "Because?" it answered. They stood there for a few more minutes until Ruby's screams died down before making a move away from the school. "And now?" Ash cracked his knuckles with a delighted grin. "Now it's my turn to play."

 **AN: And that's the chapter! Hello guys, Fireflame here. I'm sorry this took longer than I expected, especially for something this short. But I wanted to get Ash just… just right. That little touch of insanity without saying he- it (I hate this already)- is insane directly. Also, I'm going to have so much fun with Ash's shapeshifting ability. As long as he's near someone for enough time, he's going to be able to turn into that person via siphoning their Aura enough to copy their image.**

 **Anyway, reviews!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Thanks for the clarification with Hyde. Well, you got your answer to Farayan's escape. And the answer to the dream/real scenario. Ah, to turn real-life occurrences into nightmares, how fun.**

 **AHBookworm7: Poor Ruby, it's sad that I'm having so much fun with this. Farayan always makes things worse- he's like the Midas of despair! Well, Ash is, but now Farayan is attached to Ash, so I guess he's part of Midas as well. And I believe you have enough content to pull from for a cover art… (Please?)**

 **Anyway, that's it for my words! Thank you for reading, and I'm out.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	13. Chapter 13: Back to Normal as We Wished

**AN: I'm sorry this is so late. Being sick for a week really hurts your schedule, especially when it's a week before piano regionals and 2 weeks before the ACT. Muscle memory and test strategies hurt when you don't practice them. But I still got this out, so enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. That should be obvious.**

Chapter 13: Back to Normal as We Wished

Another head lolled around, rolling to a stop with a beaded yellow eye staring back at the girl who promptly decapitated it a few seconds before. The girl in red whipped her head around, looking for another prey before frowning when she realized the pack was decimated, a few wisps of black vapor where they used to be with her other three teammates standing around them, breaths coming out in rapid huffs.

Ruby took one last look at the Beowolf head at her feet as it rapidly dissolved in the wind, leaving behind a small imprint in the grass. Disappointed, Ruby holstered her scythe back to where it stayed as she walked over to her teammates. She was still bouncing on her feet while the others were regaining their breaths. "So," Ruby chirped, "Next pack of Grimm or what?"

"Ruby," Blake huffed, "How about we go back to Beacon now? I'd prefer if we didn't collapse during the middle of a fight."

And as Ruby gave them a glance-over, she could see Blake's reason as she sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. All of them were caked in grime and sweat from the afternoon of extermination. Yang and Weiss nodded along, quick to jump onboard as they were bent over with their hands on their knees to catch whatever breath remained. "One more?" Ruby tried.

"No," Weiss shot down with a scowl. "I was done two packs ago."

With a roll of her eyes, Ruby retorted, "Oh, come on! I'm still not _that_ tired." She smiled along with the light jab, even as Weiss glared back with a look of disbelief.

"No offense, sis," Yang panted, "But that's because you're inhuman."

"But can we-."

Blake held up her finger to stop Ruby's next plead. "It's about six now." Her outstretched hand pointed to the sky for Ruby to notice its reddening colors as the sun started to sink near the horizon, already halfway there.

Ruby turned back, a confused look permeating her face. "So?"

"We started after lunch."

And then, a deep, gut-moving rumble growled through the clearing. Weiss and Yang finally whipped their heads up, looking for the source. When they spotted the reddening cheeks of Ruby, a brief glare of annoyance marred their expressions. "Yeah," Ruby drawled, chagrinned. "Let's go back."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

It took a couple of minutes before they landed back at the air docks, students milling about as they came back from their afternoons of whatever young adults did. Ruby was the first to hop off, still bouncing a bit on her heels while the rest of RWBY disembarked in a less... energetic fashion. A low grumble came up from one of them occasionally, mostly from Weiss about their leader's insane "training".

And while Weiss grumbled, and Ruby chatted away happily, students started to notice the merry team. Especially their leader. Even these past few months didn't stop a few rumors from popping up near her presence, people whispering to their partners about the girl that fell in love with her kidnapper. Only when Yang glared at them did they fall silent again or turn away in embarrassment. When she turned back to her sister, though, her glare subsided.

Gone was the grinning Ruby who skipped next to Weiss. The stoic look concerned even Weiss, and her sudden mood swing stunned the group as Ruby dug her hands into her pockets while her skip sped up, trying to leave them as quickly as possible. Yang trotted up behind the girl and laid a hand on her shoulder, but Ruby tore away just as quickly before sprinting, Semblance leaving trails of petals and people behind her.

What a great way to end a day, Yang thought with a sigh.

Ruby thought the same thing, balled-up at the base of her favorite tree on campus- she'd come to know it very well, considering the number of times she'd been to it for comfort.

It was one of the only places she could get away from the whispers. Yang tried to shelter her as she always did, tried to keep Ruby away from the rumors that plagued the halls. But she couldn't hide the echoes Ruby always heard. "Lover Girl" was the tamest insult thrown around. Ruby shuddered at the thoughts of what people thought was going on in the forest.

Imaginations running wild weren't always the best thing.

Ruby just wanted that person without all the judgment and pandering everyone else tried to sympathize with. She buried her head deeper into her knees as a shiver threatened to rack her body. "I wish you were still here, Farayan," Ruby whispered to herself, "At least you knew what happened…"

"Hey, Ruby!"

The girl in question looked up at the four fast-approaching figures, one jollier than the others at Ruby's sight. Again, her smile finally came back to greet them. " _Well, I can settle for the second-best thing_ ," Ruby thought. "Hey, JNPR."

Team JNPR. Sometimes, Ruby just wanted to be with them more than her own team, with all the drama going on. The most JNPR had was the occasional bout of Nora's hyperactivity.

But the real surprise of the group was Jaune. Ruby thought Ren, even Pyrrha, would have been more understanding of her feelings, but Jaune was the one that helped the most. In all honestly…

He acted the most like Farayan.

Just trying to joke around with her without a care of the outside world, comforting or fooling around with her in his awkward, sort of charming way- that was what Ruby needed. Not some fool that tried to bend over backward to appease her- just… Jaune.

Jaune strutted over and sat down next to Ruby with a grin on his face. "Your team came back," he announced, much to Ruby's chagrinned groan. No doubt on the first thing that was going to come out of their mouths. "Weiss's about to drop out of exhaustion."

The rest of the teens laughed as Ruby threw her head in her hands, this time of embarrassment. Though, her heart started to lift from the musical laughter in her ears. "Come on." A soft rustling noted Ruby of Jaune's sudden movement. "You're probably starving, too. And your team's looking for you."

Before Ruby could give a dignified response, her stomach roared again, mimicking a beached whale to perfection. Yet another round of laughter followed while Ruby, cheeks red and puffy with an unsaid harrumph, tried to walk away to conserve whatever dignity she had left. Without warning, Nora slung an arm over Ruby's shoulder's, knocking her forward a bit before she caught herself. "You think you're getting away from us?" she grinned- everything Nora did was with a grin. Even at Ruby's protests, she dragged her to a slow walk while the rest of JNPR caught up.

Yet, Ruby was smiling, despite the fact she was being used as Nora's armrest for the moment. Ignorance was a bliss, no matter if it was faked or not.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Ignorance, though, can only reach so far.

Throughout her meal, it was an enjoyable time. For the most part. The company was good, dinner was… dinner and it was supposed to be a time to relax.

But those damn rumors keep haunting her every movement.

Did she love him? Was Ruby actually kidnapped, or was it all just a ploy? (If a rumor grows enough, anything is possible to the ones who hear it.) Well, they'd never know because Ruby wouldn't speak to anyone not a part of her small group of friends or unless need be. She made that mistake months ago when Cardin asked her to tell him about Farayan. Ruby talked animatedly, the same tale she told Penny and Ironwood and her team, and Cardin nodded along to her story.

And the next day, the rumors hit Ruby with full force, Cardin at the epicenter with boisterous laughs and jeers.

That was the day Ruby talked to herself more often than to others. Her imagination helped her along, giving her a companion during the best- or worst- time possible.

"What am I supposed to do?" Ruby asked the air. She was stuck back under the same tree, back facing the dorms as she stared at the blackening sky. Another stroll around the school did that to her, especially as Cardin led it. And whenever Ruby tried to ignore it in multiple ways- either biting back or headphones and other options-, it was harder to ignore the stares. She could see how much gossip was exchanged, how their eyes flickered in her direction as they conversed with their friends. While with her friends- Yang being the most vocal with her fiery words and heated stare-, people usually toned it back from the unsaid threats of those around her.

But that in itself made Ruby's blood simmer. She didn't need to be protected, that's why she was training to be a Huntress! And yet, Ruby felt more comfortable chopping off a Grimm's head than talking with her classmates. Her eyes would light up whenever another pack showed itself, cherishing the feeling every time red showed as black-furred heads rolled and pouting whenever the feeling evaporated with the bodies.

Something was wrong with her, and Ruby knew it. But as long as she knew she was right, Ruby didn't care.

And that scared her.

"They keep making fun of me," Ruby sighed, smothering her face into her knees yet again. A moment later, she stared forward with a whisper, "What do I do?"

Farayan shrugged. "Why are you asking me?"

Ruby rolled her eyes before retorting, "You're my best friend. Who else should I ask?"

With a small sigh, Farayan sat in front of Ruby with his legs crossed, the grass underneath not even bending from his form. "You could ask your friends," he offered. "Not someone you're dreaming of."

 _"Forget me._ "

Farayan's advice was abandoned long ago as soon as Ruby saw him all those nights ago. Nightmares were one thing to see Farayan in, but once everyone else saw him as the villain, Ruby decided to bring him into her life. Her mind _knew_ it wasn't real; there was no real Farayan sitting in front of her, no heat radiating, no appearance of a soul. And yet, here he was, sitting in her heart, and no one could deny he never left.

A frown marred Ruby's face. "But none of them are as fun to talk to as you."

Both Farayan and Ruby tilted their heads- one out of thought and the other to smile at Farayan's concentrating face plastered in her mind. "How about Jaune?" He asked. "You know how much he cares about you."

At that, a snort escaped Ruby while she laid back, hands behind her head. "And you've seen how Pyrrha is. Jaune's so clueless, he'd probably not realize Pyrrha likes him unless she kisses him."

Farayan laughed at the picture Ruby painted, but his expression sobered up quickly while he shook his head. "Still," he went on, "You should talk to other people."

"Hard to do that when everything thinks you're insane." The isolated girl sighed as blank faces plagued her thoughts, looking over their shoulders with an expression of pity and amusement that infuriated Ruby to no end.

A shift in the breeze made Ruby snap back to reality. Figuratively, since the shift was from Farayan sitting down next to her. "The dance is coming up," he pointed out, "You could meet someone there."

Ruby grumbled, "Not likely," pulling her hood over her head and looking down at her knees.

In response, Farayan ruffled the top of Ruby's head, making her look up with annoyance; though that hint of a smile still peeked from the side of her lips. "Who knows?" Farayan pushed his point, looking to the sky as stars started to dot the sky.

"Maybe you'll find someone to finally forget me."

 **AN: Man, that took way too long for what I had planned.**

 **Hey guys, Fireflame here. And there's the next chapter. Before anyone asks, Farayan's not there. I'm just giving Ruby a friend. So, life's been hectic very recently. From my job, sick for a week and then needing to make up school work along with tests already planned, to Physics which I'm starting to hate the concept of energy for. Oh yeah, also the ACT's tomorrow, and I'm still trying to study my butt off. (Not to say anything about the biggest thing that's taking my time:** _ **My Lie in April-**_ **I mean, piano. Yeah, piano.)**

 **Anyway, thanks for being patient with me, and onto the reviews!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Sorry it was short, it's probably going to be until I get through Junior Year. I understand why my friends say this is the hardest year of high school. I haven't seen Bleach, but I think I get the analogy. Sort of.**

 **AHBookworm7: Cinder and Roman! Guess which one I'm planning on leaving alive. I'll give you one guess. Also, Ash is going to be so much fun in about 5 chapters. Just wait until I get to the Breach.**

 **Quintessential: Hey, new reviewer! Thanks for the words. You teared up? Then that means this story is a success! Thank you, I'm done now. No, not by a long shot, but… I win! Honestly, though, I don't know why you didn't expect Cinder or Torchwick. The story's too short to leave it there, and that's basically the best way for me to progress. That or make Ruby fall to madness.**

 **And that's it! Thank you for reading, and I'll get next chapter up as fast as possible.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	14. Chapter 14: Rumors

**AN: I should really clarify this. This is going to be set right at the beginning of Volume Two. Just for clarity's sake.**

 **And I should also clarify something else. I'm sorry for having this take so long because even more Junior Year horrible stress events are coming.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY since everything would get delayed.**

Chapter 14: Rumors

Jaune was walking through Beacon, hands in his pockets as he made his way towards the mess hall. There was a small holdup for him, so the blonde was alone to try and catch up with his teammates- definitely not because he overslept or anything. His jaw stretched to uncomfortable lengths to let out a silent yawn when a voice interrupted his peaceful moment. "Jauney-Boy." It exclaimed in a grand voice.

Of course, it had to be the one voice that aggravated him more than anything. "Hello, Cardin," Jaune sighed.

"What're you doing?" Cardin asked nonchalantly, joining his little walk.

Mornings weren't Jaune's favorite, especially one with a pompous, prideful guy like Cardin, with an insufferable air of superiority that radiated off him. "I'm just trying to meet up with my friends," Jaune answered easily.

"One of those wouldn't be… Ruby, would it?"

Blood began to boil in Jaune, turning to finally face the redhead with a death stare. "Not another word," Jaune growled, "Especially with what you did." It was disturbing how easy it was to find who was at the center of the Ruby Rumors with Cardin whispering to everyone, casting disgusted but amused glances towards Ruby every time she walked by.

Cardin put up his hands in a surrendering gesture, but the smirk didn't dull in the slightest. "Oh, I won't say anything about her," he promised. "It's just… she's not exactly the same anymore."

Turning away, Jaune kept walking towards his destination with a plastered blank expression, but his mouth clamped shut and fingernails dug into his palms, drawing bright white marks. He took a deep breath before replying, "No one would be the same after what she went through."

"True," Cardin agreed. "But, she hasn't really been in the right mind afterward."

"She's not insane if that's what you're trying to say."

"Is she, though?" Jaune's glare didn't even dissuade Cardin's next statement. "I've heard she talks to herself all the time now, and she even talks to an imaginary friend."

Through gritted teeth, Jaune tried to calm himself down. "Ruby's just trying to cope with it."

"With the fact that her kidnapper was arrested?" Cardin questioned with a grin. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It also doesn't make sense why you're talking to me," Jaune finally exasperated, slowing to a stop as he turned to face Cardin. "What do you want?"

Cardin put a hand to his chest, mocking a hurt expression. "Oh, I don't want anything," he exclaimed. That prompted Jaune to roll his eyes- despite how horrible Cardin was, he never did anything without a reason, no matter how messed up that reason was. "I'm just trying to look out for you," Cardin went on condescendingly.

"So, why'd you bring up Ruby?"

An arrogant smirk was permanent on Cardin's face, even when he shot Jaune an apologetic look. "Well, there's been a couple of unsavory rumors going around."

" _Which you were the one to start,_ " Jaune growled in his mind.

"And I'd hate to see you caught up in them. Hanging around with the supposed 'Insane Girl', how she can always run to you guys. Some might say…" Cardin paused as he shot Jaune a pointed look, "There's something going on between you two."

Thankfully, Jaune didn't have his sword, or else Cardin may not have an appendage now. As it was, Jaune was fighting the urges to deck him and beat him to a pulp. A few deep breaths later, and he kept that urge under control. Not gone, just managed as Jaune stared his burning eyes at Cardin. "You wouldn't dare," he growled, voice unwavering.

With a sigh, Cardin rolled his eyes as he finally took pity on the fuming blonde. "I might not," he admitted, "But there's a lot of people that gossip, ones that don't have the same incentive as me to not make them."

For a few moments, Jaune's brows knitted in confusion. "Incentive?" he asked.

Cardin slapped him on the shoulder, this time not in a mocking manner- it seemed almost… sincere. "You grew a backbone in the forest and told me not to touch your friends. Remember?"

All Jaune did was shoot him a questioning eyebrow. There had to be something in return. As the silence thickened, Cardin sighed again. "And I'd rather not get murdered by Team RWBY again," he admitted with a slow drawl.

Or, he learned the consequences, Jaune realized. The first time Ruby finally admitted who started the rumors, Cardin's team were challenged by RWBY in Goodwitch's class. Saying it was a slaughter or a bloodbath would be both an overstatement and an understatement- more of a humiliation match since Goodwitch called the end before anything could escalate. The most horrifying part wasn't Yang's fiery hair even before the match started or Weiss's deadly glare for Cardin's disrespect. Not even Blake, the staunch one of their team, cutting them up with precision scared them.

It was Ruby's death stare. Cold and calm, rumors circulated again after the match, wondering why they gave Weiss the nickname of "Ice Queen" and not Ruby. Her movements were robotic, face frozen while she tore through Cardin especially- every slash quick and silent, walking forward as a flurry of cuts while Cardin tried to back up.

The normally bubbly girl, jumping around the battlefield like a trapeze act, that grinned as if she was playing a game- the one with playful quips throughout the match- had turned into something that resembled more of her nickname: "The Little-Red Reaper".

Cardin evidently didn't want to repeat that, Jaune saw, as his shoulders released. Cardin was dense, but he wasn't stupid. "Just a warning," Cardin assured. "I'm just here to try and not let you get caught up in the rumors."

And with a wave of goodbye, Jaune was left alone to his thoughts as Cardin dashed off. He stood there for a good few minutes, rethinking his image of the redhead as well as his words when a bell rang through the halls. It jarred him back to reality with a heart-jumping jolt. "Oh no," Jaune groaned, breaking into a sprint while students pooled out of the mess hall.

Pyrrha was the first one to spot Jaune, fighting upstream against the pour of students. "Jaune," she called out, waving for his attention. And as Jaune opened his mouth for a greeting, Pyrrha pushed him back to where he came from. "We're going to be late," she admonished as Ren and Nora followed behind.

Jaune didn't go to class on an empty stomach at least. Nora hoarded an armload of pastries which she reluctantly gave one to Jaune. Even so, the blonde was barely nibbling away at his muffin, mind too cluttered by Cardin's words to worry about his stomach. It didn't go unnoticed by his teammates. "Are you okay?" Pyrrha asked with concern marring her face.

The words flew over Jaune's head that was stuck in the clouds. Eventually, he came back to realize his partner had been calling his name multiple times, her concern growing more annoyed with every attempt. "What?" Jaune asked with brightening cheeks.

"What happened this morning?"

Sighing, Jaune set down his breakfast. His eyes gazed down at the desk like it was miles away. "I ran into Cardin," he replied.

"Oh no." Jaune turned his head to see Nora leaning over the desk, head poking out from behind Pyrrha's to show a face of aggravation. "Do I have to break his legs?"

"No, no," Jaune stammered out with arms waving in a denying gesture. "Don't break Cardin's legs. He didn't do anything to me."

In disbelief, one of Pyrrha's eyebrows arched with her frown. "Are you sure?" she questioned, "Because you haven't been yourself today."

Sighs seemed to be somewhat of a reoccurrence for Jaune today as he slumped back in his chair. "He was warning me," Jaune answered. "To not hang out with Ruby as much."

The shock set into the others with a sudden jolt. Pyrrha opened her mouth to ask something, but her tongue tied itself with the unasked as Nora beat her. "W-what do you mean?"

"Something about rumors and not being caught up in them. Cardin's not gonna spread them, but he warned me others might."

Team JNPR was silent at that, anger at nothing consuming them as well as a slight pity for Ruby. "So," Nora started. "What are you going to do?"

To that, the blonde snorted. "As if." A smile finally made its way back onto Jaune's lips as he went on, "A couple of rumors aren't going to stop me from talking to Ruby, especially if they aren't true."

Jaune was already staunch about his decision. He wasn't leaving Ruby at a time she needed others more than ever. Only a truly earth-shattering surprise would be able to make him even take a second thought about it, let alone reconsider.

And the world decided to have a go. "Is it smart, though?" Pyrrha asked in a small voice.

The other three turned to the Invincible Girl, wearing various levels of shock. Jaune wore on one that Pyrrha only saw once, not that she was seeing it now, since her head drooped down with puckered cheeks, already regretting the words. Jaune stared down with an expression he gave any member of his team once.

Concealed anger.

"What?" Jaune demanded.

"It's just…" Pyrrha looked up and across the room, where Ruby was sitting with her team near the back, hiding from the stares as much as she could. "Do you think it's smart to let the rumors happen? Ruby's already had enough trouble as it is."

Jaune hated it. He hated Pyrrha for even suggesting something like that, and the worst part was that there was logic in her words. He didn't trust himself to speak, so Nora did for him with a bit of a screech. "How could you say something like that?"

"Ahem!" A throat clearing loudly made the team look up at Professor Port, unaware that class had started a few moments ago. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

Frustration was replaced by slight embarrassment as Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, letting loose a sheepish laugh. "Sorry," he apologized, "Badly timed joke."

Port eyed them for a moment longer before turning back to the class. "Now, where was I?" he wondered aloud. Not that Jaune heard anything else in his class. With the chagrin gone, Pyrrha's question came back, nagging Jaune in the back of his mind. Really, he couldn't help but ponder her suggestion no matter how much he hated it.

But he couldn't leave Ruby. Being the underdog already put Ruby as a sort of outcast, leaving her with only a handful of friends and people Ruby knew. The Farayan incident just shortened that list of friends, and Jaune wasn't going to do any more damage.

Especially not once Jaune saw Ruby cry.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

 _Jaune wanted to punch Cardin right now._

 _Honestly, Ruby trusted him to not be a complete monster about her situation. Ruby opened up to the entirely wrong person, and now Cardin was opening her up to anyone that would listen. Which was everyone. Ruby had run off somewhere, and with her blazing speed, her teammates were sprinting through the halls, hollering her name. They'd enlisted JNPR to track her down, something they would've done anyway._

 _After all, Jaune was the one to see who Ruby was staring at during breakfast. While Yang moderated the other two girls at each other's throats, all three of them missed the fingers pointing and hushed whispers coming from Cardin's team. They didn't notice how the acts dispersed through the room like a wildfire, a laugh popping up every so often. Who would believe that Ruby was in her right mind after a tall tale like that, right?_

 _An hour later, Ruby still wasn't found, and Yang was going sparse. They'd searched every place they thought Ruby could be and then some- so mainly just the dorms. If she went to the city, there was little chance any of them would find Ruby before the day turned dark._

 _Grumbling as he walked, Jaune kicked another concrete pebble along the sidewalk, hands in his pockets, head drooped towards his feet. He was almost so wrapped-up in his thoughts that he almost missed the slight hiccup. But, the blonde was already on high alert from Ruby's disappearance. There shouldn't have been anyone around this secluded part of Beacon, on the outskirts with trees, the sky, and nothing else._

 _Yet, here she was, sitting at the base of a tree a good distance from the path. Ruby had her legs curled up into her chest as tear marks pooled around where her head hit her knees. Sniffles escape the girl every few moments while Jaune crept up. "What do I do now?" Ruby cried to herself. Still unaware of Jaune's presence, she looked to the thick of the trees. "What do I do, Farayan?" she whispered to them._

" _Hey, Ruby," Jaune called out softly. She tensed at her friend's voice but didn't look up. "Your team's looking for you."_

 _No response came from the upset girl, hanging the two of them in an air of unease. "Are you… okay?" Jaune carefully approached. When the silence continued, he sat down next to Ruby, mimicking everything but her bowed head. "Do you want to talk about it?"_

 _Still no response. Jaune sighed. It was like Ruby to do this - bottle her emotions to make everyone feel better by being the cheerful face -, but it was infuriatingly sad at times. "I saw what Cardin did," Jaune went on. Those were probably the wrong words since Ruby tensed up even more, the sniffs growing more frequent. "Farayan must have been a nice guy if you keep saying that stuff about him."_

 _That was what undid the dam in Ruby's chest. Most of her tears were already used up long ago, so Ruby just sighed between her attempts to hiccup. "Why are they so mean?" the girl finally asked in a whisper. "Why do they hate me so much?"_

 _Jaune pushed his heavy heart aside to drape an arm over Ruby who leaned into her warm comfort, finding a new puddle for her tears to make. It was almost a blessing that Ruby's head was buried half in her legs, half in Jaune's sweater, so she wouldn't have to watch his forced smile waver. "Because they're wrong," Jaune murmured. "And it's easier to hate someone than to admit it."_

 _Silence settled back down over the two, but the despair slowly ebbed away as Ruby's breathing evened out. Eventually, what seemed like the rest of the day, Ruby was no longer shuddering periodically. "You okay now?" Jaune asked, eliciting a small nod from Ruby. "Because we need to head back now- the others are really worried about you."_

 _Finally, another noise came from Ruby, but it was a snort of disbelief. "Yang's more worried about Weiss and Blake blowing up the room," she retorted._

 _"You know that's not true." Jaune gave the girl a small nudge. "You never wanted people to worry about you, so they tried not to let you see." Ruby remained silent at his words. "Besides, there's plenty of other people that are going to be worried about you now."_

 _Evidently, that was the wrong thing to say. "What if… what if I don't care about that?" Ruby wondered, stoic-faced._

 _Jaune's head swiveled around with an unprecedented speed. "What?"_

 _Ruby twirled her finger around a stalk of grass, her stone face frowning in thought. "They just want to hate me," she considered, "So why do I have to care about them?"_

 _"You can't just do that," Jaune exclaimed._

 _"But why not?"_

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

But why not? It seemed like that was exactly what Ruby stood by now. There were only a handful of people she ever talked to, and the majority were only in two teams. And Jaune was worrying her cut off from the other students. She may have seemed happy, but that mask had cracks prominently displayed for her close friends to see.

And now, from both Cardin's warning and Pyrrha's blindsiding comment, Jaune was left in wonder of what to do. As he walked out of that classroom, he left behind the redhead being chastised by Nora and Ren. Mostly Nora.

Why did everything have to be so difficult when it came to the youngest of the friends?

All this ran through Jaune's head while he passed by a boy just a few rows in front of them, ears perked up with a smile on his face. Like Jaune, he barely paid attention to a word of Professor Port's monologue of whatever Grimm he killed recently. And like Jaune's team, he was hanging on to every word of Jaune's little encounter with Cardin. Even with the blonde's hush whispers in their huddled group and the distance between the two rows, like the blonde newcomer had animal ears. "That was interesting," the boy proclaimed to the air, grin still stretching like a Cheshire Cat. "Looks like Rubes is going to have a rough time on her hands. You want to help her out?"

His mouth now took on a frown. "What do you mean, 'no'?" He asked the air. "You know you she's being bullied, right?" A pause. "And you don't want me to protect her?" In another moment, the boy threw his hands in the air. "I give up, Fary. You make no sense."

 **AN: Poor Jaune, making the impossible decision. Poor Pyrrha, having to deal with jealousy for the first time. Poor Ruby, who I'm making her life miserable. Poor Farayan… Actually, Farayan and Ash are fine for now. Sort of.**

 **Hello, and I'm sorry. I missed February's second chapter, and I'm probably not gonna have time to make it up. To be fair though, I spent that time getting a 1 at state for piano and a high ACT score, so I think my time not writing may have paid off.**

 **Anyway, I'm back! And I'll be back again later in March!**

 **Reviews:**

 **AHBookworm7: Oh, so we're both behind schedule. It feels nice to have a friend on the same sinking boat to procrastination. Poor Ruby, it's only going to get worse. Well, it will get better, but it will get wayyy worse.**

 **Well, that's about everything I have for now. I'll see you all soon (hopefully)! Thank you for reading and for putting up with me.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	15. Chapter 15: Specials and Guests

**AN: Yes, I'm sorry this took so long. Again. Really, I should just switch to a monthly basis and to the twice-a-month thing for the summer. Anyway, thank you for waiting up on me, and enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Yeah, no. Still don't own RWBY or have any part with RT other than an avid viewer.**

Chapter 15: Specials and Guests

The Inter-School Ball. Students were ecstatic not just for the chance to dance and laugh, - mainly the girls and guys that already had their partners for the event – but also for the chance to meet the newcomers from the other four kingdoms. Even with the dance weeks away and the floor plans still not finalized for the main ball, that was all talk going around Beacon. Who people going with, what were they wearing for the event – the distraction was a warm welcome from the endless schoolwork that seemed to flood them.

The ball was a celebration of friends, kingdoms, and healthy relationships. Which is why Weiss, in all her disbelief, found herself standing in front of Team JNPR's door, ready to ask Jaune for a favor. Even after his... attempt. The stunt that Jaune tried to pull on her with the serenade and the guitar - she still didn't understand how Jaune thought _that_ was the way to win Weiss over.

Three raps on the door and Weiss stood back as a small commotion of noise sounded from the other side. Voices, still muffled and indistinguishable, came closer and closer when Pyrrha opened the door, predictably in her full "Amazonian Warrior" armor. "Weiss!" She blinked at the surprise guest. "What can I do for you?"

Weiss let out a puff of air as she put on a smile. "Hello, Pyrrha," she greeted, "Can I borrow Jaune for a moment?"

Even as the shock started to register on the redhead's face, Jaune was already at the door, eyebrows raised with expectations. "You wanted to see me, Snowflake?" he asked as suave as he could.

It wasn't cool as he imaged and just as childish as Weiss thought.

With a roll of her eyes, the girl in question opened her mouth before she thought better of it, glancing for a moment at Pyrrha. "Would you mind if we take this conversation to somewhere more… private?"

"Whatever you want, Snowflake."

"And I'd like if you would never call me that again."

Pyrrha could only watch Weiss walk away with her partner. Jaune, being himself, puffed out his chest with a foolish grin on his face as he tried to open up the girl. Weiss, being herself, ignored him as much as possible which brought a bit of solace to the redhead still staring, mouth agape. Nora peered over her shoulder at the two teens, oblivious to the turmoil in Pyrrha. She looked over the situation Jaune was in with almost a calculative stare, her next words sure to give some much-needed insight Pyrrha may have missed.

"Wow, Jaune has no chance," Nora laid out.

* * *

When Weiss meant a private place, Jaune envisioned a couple of places the heiress could have chosen- RWBY's room, somewhere out and around Beacon, an unused classroom. He didn't have in mind a cramped janitor's closet with students milling in the hallway. "Um," he spoke for the first time since the door closed, Weiss still silent as she fumbled for the light switch. "Why did you choose here?" A few students had seen them enter together, no doubt later spreading rumors of Beacon's newest "couple".

"It will be very easy to explain the mark I will later make."

Jaune blinked and shrunk away as Weiss turned on the light right above his head, sitting down on some bucket of cleaning fluid. "What am I here for?" he asked. "I'm guessing it's not because you changed your mind and want to go with me."

"Not quite," Weiss replied. The heiress leaned against the opposite shelf, arms crossed behind her back. For the first time in a new light, Jaune could see the concerned glimmer in her eyes. The bags under her eyes were still visible from the small layer of makeup she had on. "I sleep under Ruby's bunk," Weiss explained. Jaune hadn't realized concerned look he was giving her as he stared. "Her nightmares are getting a bit better."

Jaune winced. "You sure that she's getting better?"

"That's why I'm asking for a favor," Weiss hesitated. "As you know, the dance is coming up-." Jaune snorted- like anyone was talking about anything different. "And we decided to set up the event since CFVY is still on their mission. So, we also have to stay as a team so the event runs smoothly."

Nodding along, Jaune still didn't understand the issue. The heiress went on, "I'd rather not have Ruby hang around all of the other students by herself- who knows what other kingdoms will hear about her."

"Hey, we'll be there," Jaune defended. "It's not like the four of us will just ignore her." Here's were Weiss glanced at her pristine shoes, bouncing anxiously against the balls of her feet. "You want me to do more, don't you?" Not so much as a question as an observation.

Weiss took a deep breath before turning back to Jaune. "Could you, perhaps, take Ruby as your date?" she asked. A hint of shock blinked through Jaune's face. "Please?" Weiss insisted, "I don't know anyone else that would be willing to talk to her, let alone dance with her, without raising a plethora of rumors."

"Weiss." The girl halted her rambling as Jaune held up a finger, a soft smile gracing his lips. "Sure, I'll take Ruby."

"You sure? It won't upset Pyrrha or anything?"

Again, Jaune's brows knitted in confusion. "Why would she be upset?" He inquired.

It took a moment to register, and then it hit Weiss like a sack of bricks. "You are clueless," she deadpanned. An indignant "Hey!" came out of Jaune which she promptly ignored. "So, taking Ruby won't be a problem?"

"As long as she wants to. I'm not even sure she wants to go in the first place."

"Trust me," affirmed Weiss. "She wants to." No matter how antisocial Ruby wanted to act, she still wanted to talk to them- to make friends. If the games she continued to play with her team were any indication, she still hadn't lost the carefree attitude everyone thought she did.

Jaune smiled as Weiss spaced off, a smile on her own face at the fond memories. "So, that's settled," Jaune announced, snapping the heiress out from her thoughts. "Anything else?"

Weiss took a moment before shaking her head. "Not particularly."

"So, what did you mean by leaving a mark?"

"Hmm?" Weiss replied. And, to Jaune's horror, the girl's smile turned ever so slightly feral. "Oh, right. It's an easier explanation than more rumors."

The blonde boy watched with an agape mouth as her hand moved back, palm open. And…

 _Smack_.

Weiss left the closet in higher spirits as the same students who saw her enter stared at her now. Her happy air was almost a complete confession of their unsaid rumors until Jaune left. Then, it all made sense from the red imprint of Weiss's hand staining his cheek. The heiress probably had enough of the flirting, and who could blame her?

Once Weiss arrived back to her team's room, her happy mood didn't evaporate. But, inside with her teammates who were dressed for the occasion, it did. Not at the people, despite what people believed she and Blake were feuding about all the time. They weren't at each other's throats so much as very slow to warm up to each other. They'd taken a while, but surely their relationship became more tolerable- provided they stayed away from a familiar, poisonous topic.

No, the heiress's problem was with the cat's insane plan. "Are we all set?" Yang asked, eyes trained on the girl walking in.

"I still can't believe you honestly think this is what loyalty looks like." Weiss proclaimed.

"It's not," Blake promised. "It's just a small tip I received from a… source."

"Is that my name now?" A boy's voice rang out from the window sill. "Source?"

In behind the girls, a monkey faunus crouched on the window frame. Shirt open, yellow tail waving in amusement as a smirk was directed to Blake. "Um…" Ruby began. Who are you?"

The faunus gave Ruby a half wave, half salute. " 'Th name's Sun," he introduced himself. "And you girls are about to have fun foiling the White Fang."

There was a beat of silence as awkwardness settled behind Sun's words. " _This_ is where you got your information?" Weiss asked incredulously, one finger aimed at Sun.

Blake rubbed the back of her head as a blush formed. "I understand if it's not as reliable of a source as you're used to-."

"This is about the exact opposite of 'reliable'." Yang put in.

"But," Blake went on. "All of the signs make sense. Plus, it's one of your family's shipments. Wouldn't your father be glad for your initiative to protect the business?"

Weiss relented with a deep breath. "Fine. When is this attack supposed to happen?"

"A couple of hours," Sun answered. "So, we have time to explore the city while we wait." He elbowed Blake with a look. "You can show me around."

Why did she put up with her team sometimes? Weiss sighed with an unnoticed eyeroll. "We haven't been around Vale a lot." Ruby agreed. "Let's go touring!" With various amounts of enthusiasm from the others, the smallest of the bunch skipped out of the room, both fists pumped in the air.

As they were leaving, Yang leaned over to Weiss. "What were you doing earlier? Pyrrha said you were doing something with Jaune."

An answer didn't come just yet as Weiss gazed at the girl in red in front of them, beckoning them to hurry up with a smile. "It's a surprise," she simply said.

"You're not… going with him to the ball, are you?"

 _Slap_.

"Hey, that was a joke!" Yang exclaimed as she rubbed her arm.

"You're an imbecile."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

RWBY spent most of their time roaming the streets, Sun walking at Blake's side opposite of Weiss. Maybe because he knew who she was, or maybe he was just scared of her glare.

Not that the rest of the team would blame him.

With Yang as their unofficial guide and inputs from Ruby, it was the most unconventional tour they could have ever put on. Instead of the famous landmarks Vale would be known for, to quote Yang: "Where's the fun in an old opera house?" So, the five hit up places that caught each member's attention. The bare-essential shops to remember, a coffee shop that Blake found quaint, and the Vytal Festival's preparation.

"Why would you do this to us?" Yang groaned. They'd spent far too long roaming and looking at temporary stages being built, and decorations meticulously hung from building to building- streamers that hung over windows, balloons coming into place, and a variety of other colorful ornaments, all in each kingdom's colors. At least, it felt like ages for Yang. And Ruby. Sun also looked bored while Blake continued to look indifferent, nodding here and there as she took in the scene.

The three of them- the adrenaline-seekers- were all bored out of their minds. Not Weiss. The girl in white gushed over the details and patterns, pointing out how the arches were in perfect sync or complimenting the simplicity of the overall layout, yet still emphasizing efficiency.

Sun held back an almighty yawn from being heard but still seen. "Seriously, you somehow made the reason I came here sound boring."

In an instant, Weiss's gleeful exclamations came to a halt as she stared down the tag-along. "Excuse me?" she scoffed, "The Vytal Festival is a tradition long-held to be a-."

And there went Ruby's concentration. Honestly, sometimes Weiss forgot who she was talking to wasn't near her realm of 'normal'. Ruby wasn't the same detail-oriented, 'Miss Perfect' that Weiss was raised as. She didn't have the same dignity and grace to find solace in the decorations' well planned-out placements.

Really, she just didn't have the patience to be like Weiss. At least the heiress was trying to be more down to earth, Ruby thought with a smile. But, she just got wrapped up in moments like this that dragged her head back up above the-.

The next moment, Ruby found herself bumped to the ground, her rear stinging from the fall and her face heating up with a scarlet hue. "Ruby!" She didn't know whose voice it was, only the surprised and slightly miffed tone behind it, laced with concern.

"Ow." The only word that came to mind, and Ruby's blush intensified with a mumbled apology rushed towards the other person. "Sorry, I wasn't looking."

"Oh, it's fine," an equally embarrassed voice sounded. Ruby jerked her head up at the girl she bumped into, eyes wide with recognition. "I, too, was not looking." The girl continued with her own eyes at the ground, dusting off the grim off her skirt. "My condolences."

And the girl almost found herself right back on the ground, but she stumbled back from Ruby's tackle of a hug at the last moment. The others were shocked, mouths agape at Ruby's renewed openness towards a complete stranger. So was the redhead, who gently pushed away Ruby in confusion. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?"

Ruby's grin lit her face. "Penny, it's me!" She exclaimed. "Ruby!"

Penny's mismatched eyes lit up with recognition as she pulled Ruby into an equally fierce hug. Maybe too fierce, as Ruby let out a strangled laugh while patting the enthusiastic girl on the back. "Oh, it's so good to see you again!" The redhead finally released Ruby, allowing her to catch her breath. Still, Penny was bouncing on the balls of her feet, a subtle lean in her direction. "How have you been? I haven't seen you since the General went back to Atlas."

A laugh bubbled out from Ruby as she scratched her neck, face still lit with a mixture of embarrassment and glee. "It's been fine. How are you, though? It can't be easy for you to fit in with-." Then, Penny's words hit her through the excitement. "Wait, Ironwood's back in Atlas?" she repeated, "I thought he was supposed to stay in Vale."

"Well, yes." Penny's head tilted along with her answer. "But, he was so upset over the issue with your… friend… that he went back to make sure it was taken care of. Ooh!" Her eyes lit up again. "In addition, he and my Father decided to give my system a couple of upgrades."

"That's great! Well, not the part where Ironwood left, but-."

"Time out," Weiss yelled. Finally, Ruby realized who'd she'd been ignoring and glowed a healthy red. "Who are you?" Weiss jabbed a finger at Penny, her gaze more curious than demanding. "And how do you two know each other?"

Still sporting both the red face and a Cheshire grin, Ruby draped an arm over Penny's shoulders and turned her towards her team. Like the polite one she was, Penny waved at the mystified group. "Guys, this is Penny." Ruby introduced. "She's the one I met in… in the… in the forest…" How was she supposed to explain to her friends? And Sun? _Hello, this is Penny. The girl I found in the woods that Farayan ripped apart. It's okay though, she's an android and Atlas rebuilt her_. Gee, way to sound even more deranged than what people thought of her.

Thankfully, Penny came to her rescue. "Salutations, I'm Penny Polendina. Ruby and I met a few months ago when I was transferred because of an assignment."

Ruby threw her a grateful smile that went over Penny's head as she stared at her teammates. They knew Penny already- from Ruby's stories, at least. About her time in the wilderness and Penny's appearance with Ironwood at the hospital. But for her to actually be here in the flesh (or something close to it), that was another story. "Hold on," Yang interjected, "You mean Penny's actually real? And that she's an-."

"Of course, she's real!" Ruby forced out a laugh, but her eyes pleaded her sister as they jerked at Sun's confused expression. Yang made a brief, silent 'Oh' before nodding. "Penny's right here, isn't she?" A quick glance at Penny's pleasant smile got a breath of relief from Ruby.

Relief apparently only came in breaths. "Wait," Sun put in. His hands formed a 'T' as he looked back and forth between the girls. "Ruby's the Rumor Girl?" The tension went from razor thin to thick enough to pluck in a second. "So, she was the one that got kidnapped?" Still nothing from the girls, and now Sun realized something was amiss. "Hey, just trying to keep an open mind here."

"I didn't get kidnapped!" Ruby stomped a foot as Sun took a step back. "Farayan was just there to try and help!"

Sun wanted to open his mouth for another question, but an arm draped over his shoulders. Not in the friendly way Ruby's arm was around Penny, as Yang's glare indicated. "I think we should leave Ruby to talk with her friend," she smiled. The top half of her face, though, was about an inch away from decking Sun right then and there.

Thankfully, Sun wasn't dense and nodded frantically as he wilted under the full force of Team RWBY's stares. "Sounds like a swell idea," he agreed with a bit too much enthusiasm. "Just make sure you come back in fifteen minutes- the ship's coming then."

Ruby and Penny stared as Yang quipped, "Great. See you then." And the four broke away in a brisk walk, one blonde's neck tucked neatly into the second blonde's armpit as he was mercilessly dragged away.

A deep breath came from Ruby as she watched the group leave. And once she was calmed down, she turned to her friend with an apologetic look. "Sorry. I'm still trying to deal with the rumors." She scraped her boot against the ground. "Stupid rumors," she grumbled.

"I understand," Penny said. A silence permeated while Ruby searched for something to say, swaying back and forth with her hands behind her back. "Ruby," Penny chirped up, bringing her friend's gaze back up to her. "Did you tell people about me?"

A moment of confusion, and then the realization hit Ruby with a gasp. "No," she denied quickly. "No no no, I didn't!" Penny just stared. "Well," Ruby admitted with her head down. "I may have told some people about an Atlas robot that attacked us, but I never mentioned your name!" Ruby paused. "Besides to my friends," as an add-on.

Penny didn't answer immediately. "But what if they realize it's me you were talking about?" She shot back. Concern laced her voice the same way it warped her frown.

Ruby let out a snort as she rolled her eyes. "Trust me. They won't believe it."

"But-."

"I was just making up stories, anyway." It was hard to _not_ find that hint of dripping sarcasm, drawled from Ruby's voice. "It's not exactly as if I was in my right mind in the forest."

The air was thick with awkwardness as the two girls tried to look at anything but each other. Ruby hid it well, under layers of scowls and relaxed shoulders. While Penny… tense posture, nervous finger-drumming on her legs, quick head swerving: yeah, she was tense. Eventually, Penny found her voice again. "I'm sorry," she murmured, still not meeting her eyes.

Something tugged on her shirt, and Penny turned to see a face-full of Ruby's joyous smile. "Nope," she chirped. "You're not allowed to be sorry since you're my friend." Another tug. "Come on. We don't have a lot of time before I have to get back to my team."

"At the docks, right? When the Schnee Dust is coming?" Penny inquired. Ruby stopped tugging as her mouth tugged itself into a wide 'O'. Incoherent voices of disbelief came from that hole as Ruby sputtered and ran back over what they talked about. "Don't worry," Penny reassured. "Ironwood gave me another mission- that's why I'm here before the other Atlas students! Ooooh!" Now it was Penny dragging a Ruby in delirium through the streets of Vale. "We can finally fight together on the same team instead of against each other this time!"

 **AN: And that's a wrap! Hello, it's Fireflame again. I'm sorry this took so long to bring out, but I had a lot to do. Again.**

 **Man, Junior Year is a drag.**

 **Completely unrelated to my time-management problem, but I found a new addiction. Horror/thriller comics. If you've ever read** _ **Friday Forbidden Tales**_ **, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't: think my stories, but with more horror, suspense, and harder twists.**

 **Also, maybe you noticed, but I sort of ran out of steam halfway through this chapter. I got Weiss's talk done, and thought, "** _ **Now what?**_ **" Like, there was a gap of filler that I needed that made sense, and it still doesn't make sense now! I went a bit out of order of the events, as well as tried to fit Sun around the rumors.**

 **Alright, I have good news and bad news. Good news: piano and concert competitions went extremely well, and I'm getting a job interview! Bad news: I'm getting a job interview, which means two things. Either I'm not getting a job, or that's less time I have for stories. And if you haven't noticed, my twice-a-month pledge didn't exactly hold up** _ **without**_ **the job.**

 **Onto reviews!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Just mildly depressing. And it's sad in it of itself when I could consider this so far as only "mildly depressing". I guess I'll have to do better to ruin lives… A sentence you can only say as an author without being sent to a counselor.**

 **AHBookworm7: Huzzah: emotional torment! And procrastination! Sadly, only one of these is a problem for me, and the other is a problem for my story's characters. Whoops. Honestly, I swear, this will get better and more light-hearted before it gets worse. I'll have to give a bit of happiness or else this will just take a downward spiral.**

 **Anyway, that's about all I can think of saying right now. So, bye.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	16. Chapter 16: Plots and Plans

**AN: Wow, that was quick! Here's another chapter!**

 **Disclaimer- I don't own RWBY. Sorry, Farayan's not part of the canon. Unless RT responds to my nonexistent emails, it'll remain that way.**

Chapter 16: Plots and Plans

"Look, I'm not asking you to stop. I'm telling you that you can slow down."

Yang spent the past quarter of an hour arguing with her partner, and it was starting to take a toll on her as well. The blonde pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a small sigh. Ever since Blake proved the White Fang wasn't to blame for the attacks, - sort of – it gave her an inexhaustible drive to find out their next move. Days passed as Blake was the first to get up and the last to go to sleep, but not in a healthy way. The girl lost countless hours of sleep with her eyes glued to her Scroll as she picked apart news articles. 'Free time' became unknown to Blake's vocabulary as it usually just entailed either schoolwork or more investigations.

This unhealthy habit took control of Blake's life, and it was Yang's job to untangle the mess. Well, it was their team's job, but with Ruby as socially awkward as she was, and Weiss's lack of tact and unrelatability, it fell on the shoulders of Yang. The four girls were planning the dance. But, while Weiss and Yang were all for the preparation and attending as a team, Blake had… other interests. Interests already mentioned. As for Ruby… Yang had to ask Weiss for help on that.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

 _A week before the Dance was supposed to start, and the ballroom was starting to look inviting. Balloons piled the edges in a simple color pattern, tables scattered along the sides of the room and up on the balconies, and the lights had a planned dim that gave it a spotlight on the main dance floor. Now, though, the spotlight was on four tables that Yang honestly could not tell if they were different in any way. Yet, Weiss insisted on her opinion for which one was best: table one with a white spread or the three others that had just a shade of difference._

 _"I'm worried about her," Weiss blurted amid a silence, the pair of them finally taking the time to rest. Yang shook herself out of her stupor and glanced at Weiss. "Blake," she clarified. "Her habits are unhealthy, to say the least, and she's ignoring the team."_

 _"You're telling me that doesn't already sound like her?" Yang teased. And there was Weiss's umpteenth annoyed look of the day. "Yeah," she sighed. "I'm worried about her, too. I'll talk to her soon."_

 _A snort escaped Weiss. "Like she is willing to listen to any of us. Or anyone at all, for that matter."_

 _"I'll talk to her," Yang repeated. Her determined smile turned into one of a concerned strain. "But Ruby still scares me."_

 _"Ruby?" Weiss asked._

 _Yang nodded. "She was antisocial before, so forcing her to go to a dance will make her the punch table's partner." Weiss cracked a small smile at the image her teammate painted. "But now?" Yang sighed. "She's just going to stay in the dorm, Ruby told me. Not exactly a great place to be if everyone's awkward around you, right?"_

 _"She has no one?"_

 _When Yang stopped looking at the ground and glanced at the heiress, there wasn't concern or sadness. It was confusion masking her face. "Yeah," Yang said, an eyebrow raised at Weiss's lack of concern. "Where've you been these past months?"_

 _"So Jaune hasn't said anything?" Weiss inquired._

 _That elicited an eyeroll. "Gee, you'd think he would go with Pyrrha," Yang drawled. "Or even ask you out. Again. Maybe this time it will be with an actual band and not just himself."_

 _Weiss continued to look confused, despite the jab Yang threw at her. "Ruby hasn't said anything about Jaune?" She asked._

 _"No…" Yang's voice rose with her answer, turning it more as a question than a statement. As did her eyebrows. "Why would she?"_

 _A moment passed as Weiss leaned back in her chair, head thrown back with her snowy hair draping as she closed her eyes. And when the calming position failed, the girl groaned while hunching forward, her head in her hands. "I'm going to kill Jaune," Weiss said._

 _So matter-of-fact. So direct. Weiss glared straight ahead at the air as if to imagine the blonde boy in front of her. That annoying, blonde brat… trust him to do_ anything _right, she thought. Another annoyed growl escaped Weiss while her breathing became controlled, a conscious effort to distract her from a few unethical thoughts._

 _"Weiss?" Yang asked. "What did Jaune do?" When no response came, she leaned closer with her eyebrows knitted in concern. "Did he actually get a band?"_

 _Weiss recalled there were actually_ two _annoying, blonde brats._

 _"Hey!" Yang recoiled from a stinging smack on her arm. "It was a serious question!"_

 _"Was it, though?" Weiss huffed as she sat back, arms and legs crossed. "Insufferable… Jaune is not that dense to try it again, let alone with something that grandiose. Sometimes, I believe you're as ridiculous and delusional as he is."_

 _None of the jabs deterred Yang from stealing another glance at Weiss, one that made the heiress turn away, eyes closed and shoulders held high. "You had to literally threaten him to stop, didn't you?"_

 _"No." But while her head was turned away, chin tilted up with regal indifference she'd come to perfect, it didn't stop the crimson tide flowing to her cheeks. Nor did it stop the smirk from forming on Yang, the brawler crossing her arms in victory. "But that's not the point," she sputtered on._

 _The grin only sharpened on Yang's lips. Guilty. "Then what is, Ice Queen?"_

 _The Ice Queen turned back to the fiery blonde, her blush under control if only because she didn't want to give Yang the satisfaction of another mindless tease. "He is able to solve one of our problems," she claimed. "You said you would talk to Blake?" Yang nodded. "Perfect; then I'll talk to Jaune again. Once we solve the two issues, that should be everything solved with the planning."_

 _"Not Ruby?" Yang asked._

 _"Please," Weiss said. "Ruby is just as stubborn as you when she wants to be." At times, she was stubborn to a fault, Weiss thought. "I certainly can't convince her to come without a companion or whatnot, and I won't be volunteering for a chance to keep your sister in check."_

 _"Oh, come on," Yang huffed. "She's not that bad!" Keeping Ruby in check? That was a bit of a stretch. But even Yang had to concede that bringing her sister to a dance that she didn't want to go to was a hassle in itself. This was all before Yang thought about Ruby's reluctance to dance. Or how she couldn't dance in general. As she started to voice her concerns for Weiss, the heiress's words resounded in her mind. "Wait." Weiss turned her head with an eyebrow raised. "Jaune?" Yang asked again. "You want_ Jaune _to go with Ruby?"_

 _A hint of embarrassed pink rose up Weiss's neck, but she nodded nonetheless. "He is the only male we know that wouldn't turn Ruby away." Caught trying to set Ruby up with someone, and Jaune of all people. Wait, no, it wasn't a setup. Weiss only wanted to what was right for her teammate! And besides, there was a slim chance of anything happening between them, and Jaune would be too busy being a friend to think of even-._

 _"Weiss," Yang yelled. "You're rambling." Weiss groaned as she realized all her thoughts were turned into speech, her body betraying her private thoughts. "It's fine," Yang laughed. The girl hid things well, but once in a while, those feelings for her friends peeked out from behind that wall of ice. "Jaune seems cool," Yang began while the girl next to her let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "As socially awkward as Ruby maybe, but he'd go with her as a friend." A beat of silence followed as they admired their planning- both the room in front of them and the one they laid out. "Hold on, what about Pyrrha?"_

 _A small, unladylike snort escaped Weiss in a mix of amusement and annoyance. "Continuously upset by the fact Jaune still has yet to ask her to go to the ball."_

 _The pair laughed at the image: Pyrrha silently fuming with a glare at an unsuspecting Jaune, being ignorant of the redhead pining for him. "You might be wrong," Yang joked. "Maybe Jaune really is that dense."_

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

And that was how Yang found herself dragging her partner to an unused classroom, telling a sympathetic tale to a cat girl that needed to hear it, whether she wanted to or not. The sickly pale girl was pulled into a tight, comforting hug while a moment of silence descended upon them.

Blake, stubborn as she was, she was still reasonable. Albeit while they went against her initial anger. Torchwick wouldn't stop, so neither should she. But, there was a major difference- the kingpin had a legion of henchmen waiting for his words, and Blake had her team. Cutting them off resulted in a "one-man army" mentality that destroyed her life. She sighed. Yang was right.

"Just please," Yang whispered. "Get some rest. If not for yourself, then do it for your team." She pulled away from a stunned Blake, blinking owlishly. Yang offered her a simple smile. "Who knows? You might have to reserve a dance with me." Yang walked back to the door, casting one last glance at the faunus. To her delight, Blake's indifferent plaster wasn't as rigid when she sported a soft smile.

Yang closed the door behind her and was alerted to the only noise in the otherwise quiet hallway. Feet pattered behind her as the blonde whipped around, her heart pounding anxiously as she realized someone was right outside the door, looking right at her. The boy had lightened-black hair and faded blue eyes, similar to Jaune if he dyed his hair, but with a smaller frame. And no, he had no armor, just a normal pair of sweatpants and a gray t-shirt one size too large.

So, an average student on his day off, if the thick book he held was any indication. One that happened to be at the wrong place, wrong time. At least to Yang. If anyone knew about the story of her deadly little adventure with Ruby… She shuddered. Blake was the only exception she'd allow, and this guy may have overheard her.

Yang hadn't realized she was staring until it was a bit too late to jerk her gaze away. The boy reached up to his left ear and took out an earbud that blended in with his hair. "Yes?" he asked. Classic rock faintly rang from the earphones, and Yang could almost make out lyrics from the other side of the hallway.

She sighed in relief- no way he could have heard a quiet conversation from behind a wall. Not with those things blaring in his ears. "It's nothing," Yang waved off. "Sorry for staring." And off she walked, leaving the black-haired boy to stare after her confusingly, hand still frozen with the earbud screaming quietly.

Eventually, the boy shrugged and went in the opposite direction. His confused expression gave way to a face-splitting grin. "Oh, boy!" He chirped. The boy swayed with every step, halfway between a walk and a skip of joy. "What do you think, Farayan?" He asked to the air.

A pause interrupted him before the boy groaned. "Ugh, why do you always have to spoil everything? Let me have a bit of fun!"

It was then that Blake decided to exit the room, entering a hallway with a boy talking to himself. Bemused, she listened in on his one-way conversation. "Well, of course, I'm doing it during the Festival. A grand finale! That's what I was planning!" A pause, then: "Hey, I have a lot of things planned. It's nothing worse than any of those."

He looked mentally unstable, arguing with the air with such vigor. Then, Blake noticed the wires trailing from the boy's pocket all the way up to his ears. And all was understood. "What do you mean, 'It's still awful'?" The boy yelled back, presumably on a call. "I told you, it's nothing worse than what I usually do!"

Still, his conversation wasn't exactly inspiring confidence in Blake as she walked in the opposite direction, determined to avoid a scene with the guy on a call. Or talking to himself, it could've been either one.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Your girlfriend's been causing a lot of trouble," Torchwick growled.

Ash sat in a musty corner of the Warehouse. There wasn't really another title for the building- literally a rundown warehouse in the back of Vale, out the way of everything yet still enough space to load forklifts of materials without being out of place. Around him, faunus rummaged around with boxes Cinder demanded to be organized before their grand "party".

"Oh?" Ash asked. There weren't many places quiet enough to hold a conversation in a busy warehouse- behind a literal wall of insulation and metal was the best Ash could do. And with the body Ash was wearing at the moment, it wasn't an option to step outside- the teen didn't exactly want to be berated for being near any heavy machinery that adults thought she was "too young for".

"First off," Ash corrected, "Ruby ain't my girlfriend. Farayan's? Maybe." Ash tilted his head sideways like he was considering something. "No, not even his." A grin formed on the "teen's" face. "Although," Ash sang, "He really wishes it."

" _We're two years apart,_ " Farayan growled in their mind. " _Don't make our relationship any more complicated than it is._ "

Ash smirked. "Hate to break it to you, Fary, but you made it complicated when you kidnapped her."

" _You kidnapped her._ "

"As you kids say: 'Potato, po-tato'."

"Ugh," Roman groaned, "You and your silent conversations. At least with Neo, I know if she's trying to talk to me or not."

Ash giggled- an unsettling thing for Torchwick since he knew what was hidden behind such an innocent face. "By the way, say hi to Neo for me," she put in. "I haven't seen the girl in a long time."

Roman looked scandalized, putting a hand on his chest. "And you're forgetting about your favorite human?" he questioned.

In response, Ash rolled her eyes. "We're talking right now." she pointed out.

"Not in real life," Roman corrected.

Before any more verbal sparring, shouting from the other side of Ash's barrier drew her attention away. The teen peeked around the corner at the idiots arguing just a few paces away. One was driving a machine, stopping as another faunus ran up with both arms waving, his voice waving all the way up to the rafters with incomprehensible words. "Hey!" Ash shouted. The people around her snapped their heads up, fearing the slightly high-pitched voice full of annoyance. Motors and conversations wilted under the glare Ash sent out. "I'm trying to have a conversation!" The two faunus nearest to her- the ones having the argument- visibly gulped and fidgeted away. "That's what I thought," Ash huffed.

Back to her conversation, Ash unmuted her scroll before leaning back on the insulated wall. "Sorry about that," Ash huffed. "I hate grunts. Don't even see the reason why Cinder thinks they're good for anything." She caught Roman's small, almost surprised smile that lasted for an instant. "What?" Ash asked.

Roman shrugged. "Haven't heard you apologize for anything."

"Having voices in your head really helps expand a knowledge of human emotions." And as an add-on, Ash said, "Also, Farayan's annoying if I don't do some things he says."

"Voices _help_ you with emotions?"

Ash rolled her eyes. "The ones that actually were alive at some point. Whatever, point is: grunts are just dumb."

"Oh, I don't know," Roman put in with a thoughtful expression. The sudden shift in topic didn't even phase the con-man. "There's strength in numbers."

"That's what people who aren't strong say."

"There's more manpower in numbers." Roman rolled his eyes with his correction, drawing out a smirk and a nod for his effort. "Still, it's an easy blame if we ever get caught."

Ash let out a small, "Hmm." "That's a bonus."

They'd strayed too far from their original topic. "Honestly, though, why are you so interested in Ruby?" Roman asked. "She's not exactly the 'Evil Queen' like Cinder is."

Ash threw back her head so Roman couldn't see her face, view blurred from how low the camera was. The sarcasm, though, was still as clear as if she'd never moved. "Gee, I wonder," Ash announced to the air. "I wonder why I don't attack the girl Farayan likes. It's not like he's a part of me or anything."

Sarcasm wasn't enough of an answer for the man. "Like the boy's opinion ever stopped you," Roman snorted.

A dull thud sounded from behind Ash's hiding place as she was turning back to the screen. The teen jerked her head and glared at the wall, trying to stare down whoever was on the other side daringly. Another duller thud came afterward, then another, methodical like boxes were being stacked against the wall. Ash shrugged before turning back to Roman who heard nothing of what the teen's sensitive ears picked up. "Sorry, what?"

"Why are _you_ so interested in Little Red?"

"Little Red…" Ash tried out. "Good nickname for her." And on a more serious note, Ash smiled. "I've got reasons."

Roman was all for secrecy, but this level of withheld information was starting to annoy him. "Any you want to share with me?"

Ash's smiled darkened, yet it still retained all the amusement from before. "Let's just say Cinder might be right on one of her 'legends'."

"Please don't tell me Destiny's a thing I have to worry about…"

Roman's little whine drew a laugh from the shapeshifter. She knew there was a reason why Roman was her favorite human- the guy understood survival. Life in general. Grandiose without being fantastical, a natural-born leader that knew how to stay clean or get his hands dirty when the time called for it. With that little touch of creative madness. How could you not like this guy? "Not her destiny spiels," Ash affirmed. "A fate already laid out is boring."

"Amen," Roman said.

Ash opened her mouth to go on, but her eyes widened and slammed shut as a headache brewed. A moment later, the ache subsided along with the second presence in her mind. "Do that again and I might change my mind," Ash growled, blinking away the incident. She breathed out slowly, an annoyed look permeating her face. "Humans," Ash muttered. "Emotions are so dumb sometimes."

"Mm-hmm," Roman hummed. He looked concerned for the teen. Not an "attached" concern or concerned for her health, more like the 'please-don't-ruin-this-for-me' concern. "You sure you're up for the job?" Roman asked. "Cinder could do it just as easy, and Farayan-."

"Won't be a problem," Ash promised. "Everyone's going to be at the dance, and Cinder's gonna have to use force. Whereas moi…" Ash waved her arms elegantly at herself. "I'm easy access." The girl's arrogant smirk weakened when the edges of Roman's grin wavered- either in confined amusement or a forced happiness. "What?" Ash questioned.

A snort escaped Roman as he finally chuckled. "Easy access," he repeated.

Nope. No links clicked in Ash's mind, but Farayan still laughed silently in their mind. A silent conversation later, Ash rolled her blue eyes. "That was a joke Farayan laughs at- too easy."

Roman held his hands up in surrender, not at all in the slightest bit sorry. "You were the one that said it." The man was quick to shift gears when the on-screen girl slowly went a bit more… intense than annoyed. "So Farayan won't be a problem?"

"Nope. He's hard-headed, but a couple hundred years of experience isn't really the same level of strength." Ash tilted her head, and then a groan escaped her. "No, it won't be awkward! You'll be the one in control, anyway- why are you worried?" Roman chuckled as he leaned forward to end the call. They had a lot to plan for, - both of them – and any argument between them lasted longer than reason.

A small tap on the shoulder brought Roman back to their little hideout. His dinky, un-Roman-like, bland room. In other words: life as usual. A girl hovered behind Roman, blinking her dual-colored eyes in anticipation as he turned around. "Ash says hi," Roman said, a smile directed at him for his efforts.

 **AN: (*Frantically looks at the clock*) 12:14 AM. Well, I missed the deadline by an hour. I tried at least.**

 **Hello, it is Fireflame. I know, it's a surprise- I'm ahead of schedule! There's a reason for that- I really don't know the next time I'm gonna be able to pick up this computer for writing purposes and not Finals studying. Oh, the horror of April to May transition for Juniors! Woe is me, woe is me. And since I'm still rambling, have you ever hated Word? Not for if it's slow, but for something it did to you- this chapter was delayed by a few minutes because Word decided to turn my document into "read-only" for literally no reason. Dumb program: no wonder I use it.**

 **So, here's a chapter in advanced notice. if I get around to make another one for this month, it'll happen.**

 **Anyway, the story: right. Ash is so much fun to right. I'm gonna have so much joy playing with these characters and how they talk to Farayan/Ash. Don't worry, he/she/it isn't going to kill anyone yet, put down those premature pitchforks. At least, please do it, because there are hints of what I'll do in the next 4-5 chapters.**

 **Reviews!**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Sadism! One of an author's favorite tool! Also, I have no idea what is in that chatroom, but I'm about 95% sure I joined a cult of writers. This'll be fun.**

 **AHBookworm7: Don't worry, summer's just under a month away. (*insert Blake motivational poster with dumb motivational cat pun*). Penny! And Sun! I hope I did their characters right for their scenario- I don't know how Sun would act in the face of those rumors.**

 **So, that was the chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it, and please review or… something, I dunno. It keeps me motivated to write faster. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	17. Chapter 17: The Vytal Ball

**AN: Dang it, missed the self-imposed deadline! Ah well, I guess it's was close enough. Well, enjoy the chapter. It's quite a long one anyway.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or Rooster Teeth. As that would spell the end of something I enjoy.**

Chapter 17: The Vytal Ball

The weekend came at a snail's pace as everyone anticipated the main event. Last-minute runs gave good business for high-end stores as students made sure their outfits were fitted for the Vytal Dance. Flowers were crammed into dormitories and other places- corsages and bouquets the boys didn't want their dance partners seeing before the big reveal. The party planners especially had a difficult few days. White and yellow hair streaked rapidly around the building, setting up final details and settling their arguments. No doilies, no smoke machine- they didn't fit the mood or the budget, anyway.

Yet, the weekend did come. And the Ball came for the night. Yang stood at the entrance in her pure-white dress, a yellow band wrapping around her waist. Couples and friends strolled through the doors, marveling at the elegance as Yang stood behind her little podium ready to greet them. Not a single moment was boring for the fiery blonde, seeing who was with whom and every now and then an old school friend showing up to give her a brief hug. There were the predictable couples that all students knew about, the ones going "just as friends", even though they should have been something closer ("We're not 'together', together").

Then there were the surprises that no one could've seen coming. Well, almost no one. Most of them paired up within the last week- trying to find a partner for the dance and lowering criteria just a bit. Surprises, yes, but still a happy sight for Yang who's only response was slightly wider eyes as she ushered them to join the rest.

And still, one pair shocked her happy as can be, though only a handful of people would share her reaction. The rest had rumors waiting on their tongues when a certain gold-haired boy walked in with quite a surprise. "Oh," Yang gushed, "You two are so cute!"

Well, yes, but few would be willing to share her opinion. Jaune blushed as he bounced slightly in his suit, his red bowtie ever the more present- complimenting the same color as his cheeks. Slightly behind him, just to the side like a shadow, was Ruby.

Yes, Ruby.

Onlookers literally stopped to stare before their female companions scolded them. Rumors would be around, no doubt, but tonight Ruby could relax, however much that meant. "Why'd you make me wear this?" She groaned, twisting and turning as she looked down.

"What are you talking about?" Yang beamed. "You look great, Little Sis'!" With her dress in the same color as her regular clothes, a black corset around her stomach, and the dress just high enough for her platform heels to poke from underneath, it wasn't just bias that was in Yang's words.

"Not the dress," Ruby complained, "The heels!" And to enunciate her discomfort, she stumbled forward as Jaune put an arm around her shoulders to steady her. Ruby sent him a look of thanks before the frown reappeared. "How does Weiss fight in these, anyway?"

Yang couldn't help but grin at her sister's discomfort. Because despite all the complaining Ruby made, her bright eyes that darted around the room told Yang how elated she truly felt. "Who said fashion was easy?" Yang laughed.

"But it doesn't have to hurt!"

"Oh, toughen up, Rubes." Yang cuffed her sister's shoulder. And she turned to address the awkward teen. The second one, not her sister. "Thanks for taking her," Yang said with a smile. "You know your team's gonna give you a bad time, right?"

Jaune just laughed with a knowing look. "Please, only Nora's going to do that. But you…" Yang held up her hands, eyes rolled back with her grin stretching from ear to ear. Guilty as charged. A small sense of triumph filled Jaune as he turned to the girl under his arm. "You want to dance first, or…?" All he needed was one glance at Ruby's soured expression like she didn't want anyone to know she was sucking on a lemon. "This is a ball," Jaune reminded with a smile. "You do know that, right?"

In response, Ruby dug her shoulder into Jaune's side. Bad idea, as Jaune was really the only thing holding her balance on the "lady stilts". The two stumbled together, one of them more frantically than the other. Jaune was now dragging Ruby along, one around her waist while the other held her up by her elbows. The girl's face was flushed with a bright pink, only made worse when her sister had to give Jaune a quick warning. "Watch the hands!" Yang yelled.

They found a table near the back edge of the ballroom, unoccupied as an RSVP for the ones who "Helped design this incredible night". It was a little gift for Ruby, probably in place for her despite what the grown-ups told Yang. Jaune sat Ruby down in the nearest chair as his grip started to finally give way, dumping Ruby down in an unceremonious plop. Ruby buried her head in her hands to hide the pink still coming into her cheeks. "I'm sorry!" She squeaked through her fingers.

Jaune just laughed as he slumped into the chair next to her. "It's fine. So, I guess that's a no for dancing? Or for standing up in general?" For his hard work, the blonde earned an elbow to the stomach. But, it still wasn't a denial, and Jaune's laugh only grew while Ruby glared cutely at him. "Fine, I'll try not to drag you into a dance if-."

"Jaune?" The new voice sounded quite surprised while she questioned the pair. Jaune and Ruby looked up away from each other, and lo and behold, Pyrrha stared at the pair with a mix of emotions. Surprise, confusion, and something Ruby saw simmering in her eyes. Hints of anger. "What are you doing here?" Pyrrha asked with her smile.

"Hey, Pyrrha." Jaune greeted happily, unaware of the annoyed twitches in Pyrrha's smile. "Should I introduce you to my date for tonight?" Jaune threw an arm around Ruby's shoulders, and the girl promptly rolled her eyes while shrugging it off.

"It's not a date," Ruby promised.

Pyrrha took a deep breath before allowing herself to speak. "So, she was the mystery girl you asked out?" She asked as curiously as possible. "I didn't expect you'd ask her."

With a questioning stare, Ruby tried to see what she meant by that. Her classmates had enough double entendres or hidden questions to last her a lifetime; she had plenty of experience knowing whether or not if something seemed genuine. After a heartbeat, Ruby shrugged. "I didn't think anyone would ask me at all," she admitted. A quick elbow in his side received a small smile from Jaune. "Jaune was sweet for asking- you really couldn't ask for a better partner."

And there it was: the small eye twitch that Pyrrha tried to hide from the intended jibe. At the epicenter between two girls in a silent fight, Jaune whipped his head back and forth like a spectator in a very intense game. He might have been clueless when a girl was interested in him, but a childhood with seven sisters taught the boy when to spot fights before they started. "So, Pyrrha," Jaune switched topics as quickly as he could. "You're looking nice."

At least Pyrrha wasn't pretending behind a smile while talking to Ruby, her attention now completely on Jaune. "Thank you," the redhead beamed. It was like one moment she was a taut string, about to snap out or storm away, and the next she ignored Ruby to the best of her ability. Pyrrha did a quick back and forth sway to show off the shimmering red fabric hanging on her in a modest fashion. "It was quite a hassle to find," she admitted.

Translation: she was going to impress Jaune when he was "inevitably" going to ask her to the ball.

"It looks really pretty," Ruby praised. "But seriously, how do you walk in those?" The poor girl gestured towards the black heels that added a couple of inches on Pyrrha's already tall figure. "Yang wouldn't get me anything but these… these… _heels_." She hissed the last word like it was an insult to shoes everywhere.

Pyrrha let out her first laugh of the night. "It's like second nature," she said. "Eventually, after wearing the same thing for weeks, you get used to the height difference and compensate."

"But it's just for one night," Ruby whined. "How am I supposed to get used to these? I can't even stand up straight!"

Jaune gave the girl a quick elbow nudge. "You know I can lead us, right?" he asked. Ruby looked up at the boy. "When you have seven sisters, at least one is going to use you as a dance partner," he explained. "You can't be all that bad."

Ruby blinked once. "You say that like I've danced at all," she deadpanned.

Jaune laughed as he turned back to the standing redhead. "Anyways, where's your date? He can't have left someone like you alone, could he?"

Evidently, that was the wrong thing to say. Pyrrha's head ducked down as a crimson tide started to flood her cheeks. "He…" Pyrrha stammered. "I- I don't exactly have a date."

That was a revelation to Ruby and Jaune whose eyes went wide. "Really?" they questioned together.

"But," Jaune went on in disbelief. "You're Pyrrha Nikos." He gestured wildly at the star to emphasize the point. "Who wouldn't want to go with you?"

"Very few," Pyrrha admitted. "But even fewer would honestly approach me to ask to accompany them." She smiled lonely at the blonde. "I guess… they just felt intimidated."

Now, Jaune was just flat-out confused. "By you?" Jaune asked. "It's just a dance, not a tournament."

Ruby snorted. "Just a dance," she repeated with a small laugh. "You know Pyrrha's famous, right? Like, 'known-around-the-world' Famous."

"And?" Jaune argued.

That argument was going nowhere anytime soon. Ruby sighed as she turned back to Pyrrha, shifting uncomfortably with her hands behind her back. Pyrrha, the name that everyone would speak of. One of the most… well, not popular. More like one of the most respected figures in the school. And she didn't have a date for the dance just because everyone knew her.

Somehow, Ruby could relate.

No, not how everyone liked her. She related to how everyone talked about her "Champion" side without ever approaching the real deal. In a twisted way, Ruby understood how being someone that popular felt lonely. And it twisted her stomach to watch the redhead squirm with awkwardness, having her only real chance of a date taken away from her by someone in the same scenario. "Why don't you dance with her?" Ruby blurted.

Jaune stopped mid-rant and looked over at Ruby. It took a moment to realize what she'd said. "What?" he asked.

"What?" Pyrrha asked as well.

Shifting in her chair, Ruby leaned her side against the back of her chair, staring right at Jaune. "Why not?" she pressured. "She's your partner, and I'm not gonna be dancing any time soon." And to emphasize her point, the girl gestured towards her shoes.

"I don't know…" Jaune hesitated.

A quick tug later, and Jaune found himself being dragged towards the dance floor with an excited redhead. Ruby laughed at the slightly panicked expression on the boy's face as he looked back, only to find a pair of thumbs-up from his so-called date. Furrowed eyebrows, Jaune mouthed the word, "Betrayal." That only set Ruby off on a spree of giggles as the blonde was lost in a sea of bodies.

Oh well, at least Pyrrha would be a better dance partner than Ruby ever was.

Ruby thought about that statement for a moment before shaking her head. If Pyrrha was hesitant of just approaching Jaune for a date, a dance with him would shatter her nerves. Ruby looked back over at the pair dancing along to the slow waltz. If anything, Pyrrha's heating cheeks were just the start of the night. Thankfully, Jaune was as competent of a dancer as he said he was, and Pyrrha hadn't gotten flustered enough to forget how to be… herself.

Maybe it was better if Ruby didn't dance after all.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"How do the soldiers see anything?" Ash complained, adjusting his helmet yet again. For the hundredth time.

Though, no one could really tell it was Ash, as he had on a thick chest plate matching his helmet. The visor shadowed his face in a cage of metal, the front piece acting like a one-way mirror. And once again, the teen changed his appearance and voice. Now a male in his mid-20s with a voice deep enough for his age.

The Atlas uniform also helped to make his disguise a bit more convincing, to say the least. With the high-tech armor and matching colors, he was indistinguishable from the dozens of other soldiers patrolling the tower.

Right, the tower. The CCT- a pivotal point to take, according to Cinder. And it made the most sense- control the communication, and it would be easy to control the enemy. To an extent. Which is why Ash was here instead of Fire Girl. It took a few minutes of convincing, with Cinder trying to hesitate on sending her least loyal member for such a massive task. But, the woman folded from how easy Ash made it seem.

A lot simpler than what Cinder had planned, at least.

Ash walked up the steps, still fidgeting the metal helmet and grumbling to himself. The actual soldier he walked by gave him a weird look, but an understanding one. All the infiltrator was given was a sympathetic tilt of a head, and the soldier went on pacing the steps. The ones inside didn't spare him a glance either. Up the steps, through the main hallway into the elevator room. The four or so guards he went past marched on, as did he. Ash stepped up to the elevator and hit the button, not a moment later the doors opening and showing the two soldiers already inside.

"It's Beacon, but with a three instead of an 'e'." The one on the left said to his friend. The two were walking out of the elevator, giving the person in front of them a once-over before turning back to each other.

Ash was almost through. Two paces and a few buttons, and she was up the elevator. "Hold on," one of the soldiers turned around and took another glance at the loner. "You're the second patrol?"

Ash spun around, walking back into the box. "That's right," he answered.

"Who is your partner? No one's supposed to be alone when patrolling."

No one said the shapeshifter wasn't prepared. "Blaine got drunk last night," Ash informed, a slight slowdown in his voice as he put a bit of exasperation in as well. "Still has a hangover, stomachache, and headache."

"And you didn't notify anyone?"

"The stomach bug was new," Ash explained. "We thought he could come when the hangover passed."

Moments passed as the soldiers examined their fellow "troop". They found nothing wrong with his words as they shrugged. "We'll be calling up your partner to confirm your words."

The warning didn't deter Ash as he scoffed. "Please do. Blaine Fern, if you want the right guy. Tell him his partner would've wanted the help."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Blaine Fern. That one wasn't a made-up identity that one of Ash's friends could imitate. He was a blonde man, a standard Atlesian soldier in a standard unit that resided in one of the airships. At the moment, he was locked up in a dark, musty room with quite a large knot on his forehead. The red, swelling bump could be from a metal pole that someone may have hit him with.

Or, the more believable one, when he tripped and fell on the metal grate scattered throughout the airship. One that, conveniently, his partner dropped him on while carrying back to his room.

And really, who would believe his story of a small, pink-haired girl assaulting an Atlesian officer with a metal umbrella? Especially with a half-drank beer bottle planted on his nightstand and alcohol staining his breath. Who would believe these crazy stories of an infiltrator from Blaine?

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

So, Ash's excuse was very well covered. Honestly, the hardest part was finding someone who would patrol the CCT, and everything else was cake. Ash pressed the button to the top floor, and the doors closed on the soldiers who were as exasperated as Ash looked. Once the elevator started humming, the façade faded as Ash laughed. "Too easy," he commented. "The lab had better security than this, and this is probably one of the most important buildings in the world!"

" _Well,_ " another voice mused in Ash's mind. " _One was protecting the CCT, and the other was preventing you from ever getting to the CCT._ "

Ash laughed. "Can't fault you on that one, Fary."

Really, such an uneventful infiltration. Where were the smart guards? The security checks? The heroic interruption at the last moment as someone tried to foil their plans? Man, being smart sucked sometimes. "It's so boring," Ash moaned.

He was still moping even as the elevator sounded a _ding_ as they reached the top floor. Even with the small memory stick in hand with the computer in sight. Rather, the dozen rows of computers. Even then, Ash was moping. There was no action! Just a blissful silence where he could communicate with his inner demons as he set out to do a simple task.

Wow, was that depressing to Ash.

It was so boring! Maybe he should put on some music while he did this…

" _No._ " The rational part of Ash's brain denied. Or maybe that was just Farayan. The two were synonymous at times. " _You are not playing music during a breaking-and-entering._ " That was Farayan.

Ash sighed as he took his hand out of his pocket. "Fine," he groaned. The stick plugged snuggly into the back of the monitor, and he waited with an impatient tap of his foot. Bugging a CCT Tower was pretty easy when you had the right technology. And now, to wait. After waiting in an elevator. After waiting for his time to finally step out of his little warehouse that Cinder had him in. House arrest, if he listened to Farayan. Sometimes, the boy was a blessing to keep in his brain. "You ready for your big night?" Ash asked.

Silence hung in the back of his mind. "Oh, come on," he groaned. "You can't get cold feet now. I did a lot to get you this night- you better not mess it up!" The normally vocal presence in his mind was now sulking. "You can't be serious." Ash didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. "You're scared of her."

" _No!_ " Farayan scoffed.

"You're scared, though."

" _I'm scared of disappointing her,_ " Farayan admitted.

Really, Ash scoffed. "Trust me, you won't."

" _How do you know?_ "

"If you do, I'm taking control and bolting."

" _That's not reassuring._ "

A small beep drew Farayan out of his small debate. Though, Ash was distracted by the conversation. "Like I've ever been reassuring," the boy snorted. Farayan gave his mind a small shove back to the real world. The upload was done. Cinder was just calling them to confirm their success. "Your time to shine, Fary. You know the drill."

The voice inside sighed. " _No using a real name, no tips that hurt your friends. Give her the second number._ "

Ash smiled. "And I'll make sure I won't injure, maim, or kill anyone. The night's young, Fary- go get her! Th' night's young, and all that!"

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Dancing.

Why of all the ways to torture her, it would be dancing?

Ruby wore a crimson blush that put a rose to shame. She kept tripping over herself, eyes fixated on the ground to make sure she didn't step on her partner's shoes. That didn't work. Jaune was nursing a few bruises, though he did well to not flinch at any of them. "I'm sorry," Ruby apologized yet again.

Jaune laughed, though even that had a bit of pain in it. "Nah, I should be sorry. I'm the one that dragged you out here to dance in the first place." Ruby stumbled again, and Jaune caught her before the two of them could fall. "But really, you didn't learn how do dance at all? I thought stepping to a beat would be easy for you."

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Please," she scoffed lightly. "The only dancing I saw were the ones Yang always messed up or got kicked out of."

The sounds of people milling around drowned out the silence between them. "Should I even ask about that or-?"

"Nope."

A small "Hmm" escaped Jaune. "So those kinds of dances."

"Nah." Ruby laughed as a memory resurfaced. "Last school dance, I think she might have been kicked out." From Jaune's inquisitive look, she elaborated, "She brought her gauntlets."

"I thought she went to Signal."

"She used them there."

Jaune smacked his lips, unsure of what to say. "Ah," he went with.

At that, Ruby had to laugh. Jaune smiled- it was nice. Well, also the fact that they stopped dancing when Ruby started to tell her story. Now his feet could stop throbbing for a while. But also to see Ruby out-and-about, laughing and smiling like her old self. The way she stopped caring about everyone around her in a good way, to have fun while ignoring her social anxiety.

"Oh? What do we have here?"

Well, that also happened with one other person. The pair turned to the rabbit ears poking above the crowd. "Velvet!" Ruby greeted with a bright grin. There was the member of CFVY, standing there in a light-brown dress that complimented her hair. And by her side, her camera hung from a strap over her shoulder.

"Hey, Ruby," Velvet replied, though her eyes were still on Jaune. "Is this your date?"

Jaune shook his head. "Just a friend."

"Ruby, I thought Yang taught you better." Velvet put a hand on her chin, tilting it in thought. "Though, I guess she's not exactly the best sister figure."

The girl in question felt her cheeks heat a crimson hue. "For the last time," Ruby squeaked. "Jaune's just a friend!"

Finally, Velvet let out her laugh she'd been holding for so long. "You know I'm just teasing," she intoned. Ruby tried to hide her blush behind a curtain of hair. "I see you guys did a good job setting this all up." The faunus did a slight twirl as she admired the ballroom. "I like the streamers."

Ruby looked pleased. And a bit bemused. "How did you know we set them up?" she asked. Velvet just nodded at the table near the back of the room. The one with Yang and Blake sitting with her friend. Sun, if Ruby remembered correctly. It really helped Velvet's case with the small label in the middle of the table: "Reserved for Those Helped Design This Incredible Night". Ruby chuckled in embarrassment. "Yang put that there," she blamed.

"Sounds like exactly something Coco would do," Velvet admitted with a laugh. "I really didn't think you would come to this. Even with your team setting all of this up."

"I didn't think I'd see you here," Ruby shot back. "I thought you guys were on a mission!"

"Got back a few hours ago."

"Then-?"

"Coco can be very… persuasive," Velvet sighed. "I didn't know she could make me feel guilty about buying a dress!" And it was then that Ruby noticed how shiny the faunus's hair was. Like she'd stepped out of a shower just minutes ago. Even with how tired she looked, Velvet smiled. "Still, it's nice to see you here."

It was sort of interesting how the two girls first met. Or how they became friends. It's not every day someone can legitimately say, "We bonded over the fact we both know a terrorist. He was a nice guy." But when Velvet bumped into her after she left the hospital, it was very easy to strike up a conversation about Ruby's favorite topic back then. The two had hung out quite frequently after that, all the way up until Velvet had to leave a few weeks ago for her mission. They were seen in town every week, sometimes twice a week. And sometimes enjoying a great drink at what felt like their favorite café, always laughing over a red and black drink.

No, not a strawberry sunrise. Velvet's not Coco.

Anyway, back to their conversation. "You're not exactly a dancing girl," Velvet said.

Ruby shrugged. "I didn't really want to come." She admitted. "But…" The girl in red bumped her shoulder into her partner for the night, a soft smile on her face. "I got a knight in shining armor."

"You do live with your head in a fairy tale," Jaune teased, ruffling Ruby's hair. She batted his arm away before it could get any more tangled up than what he'd already ruined. As if her hair could get any more disheveled than what she could do to herself. "But Weiss was the real hero, talking to me about taking you to the ball." Jaune laughed to himself. "Can't believe I used my guitar for her-."

"What did you say?" Ruby interrupted. Jaune looked down to the girl at his side, and his blood froze at the stone-cold expression. Her mouth pulled into a thin line and expression still, like her arms at her sides, she looked as cold as Weiss on a bad day. "Weiss set you up on this?" she demanded.

Jaune realized his mistake too late. "No, she just mentioned you," he lied with a nervous stutter. "She t-told me that you didn't have a date, and so, you know, I just decided that- well, because you didn't have one-."

"You called her the hero, though," Ruby reminded. Jaune clammed up as Ruby scoffed, backing up with a shake of her head. "That's why you stopped asking her out then," she realized. "She asked you to take me because she was worried about me, didn't she?"

"It's not like that!" Jaune tried to salvage.

Ruby wasn't listening, though. She was already leaving Jaune and Velvet. "It's fine," she smiled sadly. There was a slightly steely edge to her stare. "Go find Pyrrha- I heard she can dance pretty well." And a small, half-hearted wave later, Ruby disappeared into the crowd.

"Ruby, wait-."

Before he could run, Jaune was yanked back by the collar, almost sweeping himself off his own feet. He turned and found the hand attached to the rabbit faunus, quite angry yet still composed. "She's not going to want to see your face for a while," Velvet said with a monotone voice. "Which gives you enough time to tell me what you did to Ruby."

Jaune gulped. Wow, how his evening turned on its head.

Ruby made her way through the crowd, finding herself at the punch bowl. A fitting place for her at the moment, she thought to herself. Should she leave? Without Jaune? No, she promised Yang she'd stay for the night, and with Jaune, it was supposed to be a fun time.

That thought made the girl shake her head violently. No, no thinking about him right now. So Ruby didn't want to leave. And she didn't exactly want to go back to her team- not if she wanted to explain to Yang why Jaune wasn't with her anymore. Now what? Ruby scooped herself a cup of the punch to keep herself busy. She didn't want to stay, and she didn't want to leave. So-.

"Ruby?" A voice behind her asked. The girl in question turned around, confused. It wasn't a tone she was expecting. With her recent time in Beacon, there were a lot of emotions surrounding words about her. But, very few were had this much wonder and excitement.

And not many of those students were as short as her. Blonde hair and red eyes, dressed in a nice, black, three-piece suit with a white bowtie. He looked like no one she remembered in school. "Who are you?" Ruby asked, eyes blinking.

"Ruby, remember me?" the boy went on. "It's Ash."

 **AN: Out of the arms of a caring friend, and into a demon's. You're welcome, Ruby. Hello, readers. Fireflame here. I'm two hours late from this being the second May chapter, dang it. Well, maybe June?**

 **So, the chapter. This was a long one, and I wanted it longer. But, next chapter needs some love. And some more content because it needs to be 3k words long. PERSONAL GOALS.**

 **And Ruby finally has her friend back! She's gonna have it for a couple of in-story months. Oh, and those in-story months. I'm gonna have to stretch the timeline a bit. I know the first mission is supposed to be the night after, but I can't do that to my main character. Either of them. So, it's gonna get stretched.**

 **Oh, and I might have done something horrible to a female character in this chapter in secret. And surprisingly, it wasn't Ruby this time. Enjoy the paranoia!**

 **Reviews:**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Well, I'm an actual heretic now because of you. YOU. Traitor! Yeah, it's pretty fun. I'm gonna keep torturing characters and being a heretic, separately hopefully. And there's a sentence that really shouldn't be taken out of context.**

 **AHBookworm7: Penny! And Sun! And Velvet again! And now Ash has joined the fray, and it's going to be so much fun~. My rules for Ash/Farayan: He's not allowed to say he's Fary until my say-so. He's not allowed to date. He's not allowed to do highly illegal stuff. Besides with Cinder, but that's another story.**

 **Anyways, that's the chapter. Hope you all like it, and please review. It gives me more fun to write this stuff. G'bye, now!**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	18. Chapter 18: A Friend

**AN: Whoops, this was supposed to go out earlier today. Well, for most of you, earlier yesterday. Sorry! And hope you enjoy a new chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or RT. Obviously.**

Chapter 18: A Friend

"It's me, Ash!"

Ruby stared at the strange boy, leaning away slightly with a confused frown. No, she didn't recognize the eager blonde. But for some reason, he seemed familiar. Maybe it was the smile? Or maybe it was just déjà vu. "Who are you?" Ruby asked finally.

"Ash," the boy repeated. He received a small shake of Ruby's head in response. "We had History together last year?" Still, no bells were ringing in Ruby's mind. "Professor Floyd caught you sleeping in his class most days."

That rang a bell as Ruby's cheeks heated up. She let out an embarrassed laugh. "He was boring," she mumbled. Ash's laugh only made her turn a few more shades deeper. "Don't laugh," she scolded lightly. "I don't like history!" If only she had her cloak to pull over her head…

She felt Ash lightly punch her arm. "Ruby, everyone in the school knew you hated history. But Floyd was a good teacher!"

"Says who?"

"Everyone but you."

Ruby hadn't realized they had been walking until Ash sat down at a nearby, empty table. The girl followed suit, still animatedly talking to her new friend. "So, what brings you here?" Ruby asked him, gesturing at the rest of the room. "It's not like it's an easy event to attend."

An annoyed sigh escaped Ash. "Family," he explained. "My sis' really wanted to attend, and she's the little princess of the house. So here I am." The boy tugged at his collar, making a disgusted expression. "Ties are so dumb."

"You have it better," Ruby groaned in an argument. "At least _you_ can walk." She stuck out a leg to show off the black bane of her existence. "You don't look like you're about to fall every few seconds."

"And instead," Ash replied with a smile and a roll of his eyes, "I get to not breathe for the night. I'd gladly take the heels- at least I'll have an excuse to leave."

"Sure." Ruby reached down and started to loosen the straps on her heels, making a grand show of it with a wide grin on her face. "I'll trade you."

Not a peep came out of the boy after that. Ruby couldn't see Ash's face, but she could imagine it was either Blanche white or completely indifferent. "You know I was joking, right?"

Without warning, Ruby jerked back up, one finger trained at Ash who was wearing both a pale face and a completely indifferent look. "Aha!" Ruby exclaimed. "So, you say the tie is better than the heels!"

"No," Ash denied, a smile twitching the side of his mouth. "I'm saying that I'd look better in a tie than in heels." And just for a bit of a small jab, he added, "And you'd look ridiculous in a bowtie."

Ruby crossed her arms across her chest as she sat back with a huff. "The heels are still worse," she declared.

Ash raised an eyebrow at that. "Would you rather be able to breathe or to walk?"

"Walk. Because I could take off the bowtie faster than the heels."

The boy threw his head back in frustration, but Ruby could still tell Ash was having fun by the way his shoulders shook with silent laughter. "I can't argue with that," he admitted. Ruby threw both her fists into the air, a wide grin on her face. Victory. "But you know you're still stuck with those things, right?"

Not as much of a victory anymore.

Ruby copied Ash as she too threw her head back, groaning. Ash gave her a playful kick to the shin as he laughed at her misery. "Come on, heels can't be that bad," he intoned.

"Yes, they are." Ruby heard Ash laugh again at her growled statement. "You're a horrible person," Ruby said.

Ash merely laughed again. "I get that a lot," he admitted. "See, why couldn't you be like this during History?"

"It's boring!" Ruby exclaimed again.

And so, Ruby met another friend that night. With the constant teasing and laughs, it turned an otherwise unenjoyable night for both of them into a special one. Lose a friend, and Ruby met another one in the exact same place. She had to think of Jaune at the worst moment, and she frowned at the thought. "What's wrong?" Ash asked, noticing the sudden shift in her mood.

"My friend," Ruby admitted. "I found out he only came with me because one of my teammates asked him to." She slumped back in her chair, her expression soured. "I don't want them to do that," Ruby grumbled.

Ash leaned forward, an almost empathetic look directed at his friend. "You don't want them to help?"

"To go behind my back," Ruby clarified.

"But they were trying to help-."

Anything Ash might have said was cut off by a loud, un-ladylike snort from Ruby. "They could try to be honest with me," she commented. Ash clamped his mouth shut, having no answer for that. "I don't like it when they decide to help me when I don't need it." The girl hugged her knees to her chest. "I didn't even want to come here," Ruby grumbled.

Not a second later, Ruby found a boot softly nudging her own foot. "I'm glad you did, though," Ash replied. "You look nice tonight." A tide of blood rushed to her cheeks. "Plus, I missed you."

Now was when Ruby looked back up, her curiosity getting the better of her moping. "What?" she blinked.

"We," Ash blurted out, his own cheeks heating up like Ruby's had. "We missed you, back at Signal." Ruby's mouth made a small "O", then she winced a bit. She forgot about her old friends somehow. "I talked to some of your friends," Ash went on. "They were sorta sad when they realized you'd be in Beacon for most of the year."

"Yeah," Ruby drawled with an embarrassed laugh. "I was supposed to write to them."

"We still miss you," Ash repeated. And he sat back in his chair with a satisfied look. "And I can tell them I met the New You." The boy received a weird look from Ruby. "How many people would believe you went to the Vytal Dance with a date?"

"It wasn't a date," Ruby corrected, but his question still made an impact on the girl. The Beacon kids could barely see it happen when it _did_ \- in front of their eyes. Well, Ruby could see the flabbergasted expressions her old friends would have had, and she giggled at the thought.

Ash leaned in like he was letting Ruby in on a little secret, and Ruby leaned in as well. "You're Ruby Rose," Ash remarked. "The girl that has a nose in gun magazines. The one that likes sweets to a fault-."

"That's a lie," Ruby giggled. "You can't like sweets to a fault. I just like cookies." Ash raised an eyebrow. "A lot."

The eyebrow didn't go back down. "Your friends called you a vacuum." Guilty as charged. At least, that was the message Ash received by the red in Ruby's face. "You're the girl that kills Grimm," Ash went on with his little list. "You, the anti-social, scythe-toting girl with a love for metal." Ash batted her arm gently. "You're at a dance. With people. And actual ballroom dances."

Ruby burst out laughing. She let out a deep, snorting laugh as Ash joined in. Nearby tables turned to them, all with different levels of astonishment and irritation. Though, some were wanting to laugh with them, if only because the two were so infectious with joy.

Eventually, the laughs became small chuckles as the two leaned back in their chairs, their stomachs still tense from so much happiness. Ruby took a deep breath, uncurling her legs and sitting properly again. "Thanks," she said.

"For what?" Ash asked, his words a bit slurred to get it between his laughs.

"For making me laugh."

Ash blinked for a moment, caught off guard by the sincerity. "You're welcome," he got out. A smile crept back onto his face, splitting his face with a Cheshire grin. "I think you can get me to laugh, too."

Ruby looked up. "Hmm?"

An arm was stretched out for her to take as a fine sense of formality. It also helped that Ash was in a half-bow, smug smile as he knew how it looked. "May I have this dance, milady?"

Ruby gave the boy a long stare, blinking maybe once or twice. "What?"

"Let's dance."

Still, she couldn't believe it. "But," Ruby stammered, "but you know I have these." The poor girl wiggled her feet in the air. "The feet killers."

"So? Take them off." Ash suggested. For that, he got a deadpanned look from Ruby, like she was to say:

" _Really?_ "

Ash's smirk didn't falter one bit. "Really," he confirmed. "It's not like it's going to be the weirdest thing you've done tonight- you walked out on a date to find another one, right?"

"This is a date?" Ruby asked, her head tilted to the side.

The blood drained out of Ash's face in an instant. "N-no," he denied, stammering at every instant. "I mean, we just met, and it's not like- you know- this is a, well, it's not-."

Thankfully, the poor boy was pulled out of his embarrassment in one last push of embarrassment, with Ruby laughing at Ash's stuttering, stumbling mess of an explanation. "I _get_ it," she assured. "See? Not a date."

Ash let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Not a date," he agreed.

When that little joke ran out of its brief humor for Ruby, though, the question came back. "So, the dance?" Ash asked again.

"But," Ruby complained, "I can't dance. Can you?"

Ash puffed his chest out a bit. "Of course I can!" He couldn't even keep a straight face through that quick sentence, and even Ruby didn't buy the waver in his voice. "Half a week of practice," Ash admitted. "But it's better than nothing, right?" After all this time, Ash's hand was still out and hanging for Ruby to take. "Please?"

Ruby broke with that high-pitched plead. The anti-social girl kicked off her heels, sighing in relief for that. Taking Ash's hand, the two teens strolled onto the floor, both with a smile on their faces and red in their cheeks. And the floor noticed the two. Rather, they noticed the girl. The red dress, her hair brushed back.

The obvious lack of shoes.

And then they realized she'd already been on the dance floor. With someone else. Ruby faltered a bit, slowing her pace just enough to act like Ash's shadow and not his partner. But the shadow attracted more attention for being the only one in the crowd, and shadows didn't belong at a dance meant for pairs. Ruby sank back a bit more, drawing more stares from the crowd. Slower pace, and more eyes until Ash felt like he was dragging dead weight behind him.

He turned back and saw Ruby with her head down, her other arm held stiffly behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. "They think I'm weird," Ruby said as she noticed the lack of a pull.

"What?"

"They," Ruby nodded to the crowd of staring faces, "think I'm crazy."

"Really?" Ash admonished. He stopped and looked around, a low stare directed at anyone that was staring at them. It took only a few moments for each one to look away, but the crowd would always look back. "Why? You only skipped two years."

Ruby looked up, a drawn-back look in her eyes. Still, a smile made her way onto her face. "I forgot about that," she giggled under her breath. "No, it was about Farayan." She ducked her head again.

Well, that hung head missed a quick flinch from Farayan. Ash. Ash was his name for now. It hurt for him to lie right in Ruby's face, constantly and with a smile on his face. Though, now his mask could come down for a bit. "Who?"

"Farayan," Ruby sighed. "He was…" The reaper shook her head like it was a tale that hurt to tell.

She had her head tilted back up. Rather, Ash shook her shoulder hard enough for Ruby to glare at him in annoyance. "No," Ash said with a smile. "We're here to dance, not to brood."

"I'll brood while I dance," Ruby replied, though the light came back to her eyes. "I still hate dancing."

Ruby yelped when Ash pulled her into position, his other hand out for her other hand to take. "May I have this dance, fair maid?" Ash asked, a horrible aristocratic accent mangling his voice.

She only looked at that hand. "Isn't it one hand held, one on the waist?"

It took a moment, but there was the blood rushing to Ash's cheeks as he slowly moved his hand onto her waist. Ruby laughed as she put her hand on his shoulder, though her face was just as red as his. "Hope you're ready to have your feet bruised," she warned.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

An hour or two passed, and Yang ran out of friends from her old school. She was caught up with the ins and outs of the dresses everyone was wearing, but Yang found herself sighing, head resting on one of her hands as she leaned over her table. The one that may or may not ban her from any future party planning. "I can't believe I forgot to find a date," Yang scoffed. She blew a puff of air at a stray lock that hung in front of her. And she came to a slight revelation.

"Man, dances suck when you're by yourself."

"Not entirely," a voice replied. Yang glanced over to see Weiss sit down beside her, spreading her white dress to rid the wrinkles covering her legs. "It is refreshing to see everyone milling around."

"Hey, Weiss," Yang drawled.

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "You can't possibly already be tired."

"Believe it, Ice Queen." Yang sighed as she slumped over, arms splayed over the table. "I should've gotten one of my friends."

"Why not go now?" Weiss asked.

"Because they're all in groups," Yang explained. "A few of them are dating, and the rest already knew who they were going with. It's weird if I just jumped into the group when I wasn't invited."

A moment passed between them while the heiress absorbed Yang's words. "That… seems irrelevant," she finally said. "Why don't you just talk your way through? It seems easy, as you're their friend, right?"

Yang groaned at Weiss's sheltered nature. "Welcome to a school life," she introduced to the platinum blonde. "Where nothing makes sense and a social life is harder than an actual life."

Weiss muttered something under her breath, probably about how ridiculous her teammate was being. Her gaze wandered as she turned away from Yang. And quite a sight caught her eye. On the dance floor was Ruby, stumbling about and blustering while she did… something… that resembled "dancing". That wasn't really surprising, nor was the fact that Ruby ditched her heels even if that meant going barefoot.

What caught Weiss off guard was who she was dancing with. It made her take another look to make sure she was right, but no, she was. That wasn't Jaune she was dancing with. Blue eyes and blonde hair, sure, but Jaune wasn't as short as his dance partner, and Weiss was quite sure he was wearing a tie from his school uniform. Not a white bowtie.

"Yang?"

"Hmm?" Yang looked up to see Weiss staring out with a perplexed expression.

"Where's Jaune?"

A weird question, but Yang humored the heiress's question. It took a bit of searching, but the blonde's eyes landed on her target. "Over there," Yang said, nodding towards Jaune even though Weiss obviously couldn't see her teammate's action. "Talking to Velvet for some reason."

"Then who's dancing with Ruby?" Weiss asked.

A chair screeched back as Yang jumped out of her chair, eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk. Ruby… "How did she…?" Yang's eyes widened when she found her sister in the crowd, dancing with another man like Weiss said. "I thought you got Jaune to ask her out?"

"I did," Weiss affirmed. "Maybe Ruby got bored? Maybe Jaune said something he wasn't supposed to say?"

"Now which one of those seems more reasonable?" Yang drawled sarcastically, emphasizing it with an unseen eyeroll.

The pair stared at the dancers for a minute longer. Ruby was happy, even while completely out of her comfort. And why'd she take off her shoes, Yang wondered. It was very Ruby-esque for her to rather feel a bit uncomfortable than to stand out like a sore thumb. A normal girl with normal thumbs.

"I'm gonna talk to them," Yang announced, strutting forward.

"What?" Weiss exclaimed. Yang turned and stopped for Weiss to stand, hands on the table to push herself up faster. "You can't just ruin the moment!"

Yang smirked. "I'm her sister. Watch me."

And that's what the two girls did. The fiery blonde strutted forward, ready to embarrass a sister or to threaten a potential boyfriend. While the heiress sat back, scoffing as she was ready to witness a train wreck. As Yang got closer, she could finally pick up a few fragments of their conversation over the murmur of the crowd.

"What do you mean, Floyd hates me?"

"You did sleep in his class every other day. People were actually taking bets on how long you slept every day."

A girl groaned, and the boy laughed. And Yang decided to spoil some fun. "So, sis," she blurted. "What are you doing, skipping from guy to guy?"

Ruby and the boy froze, then their heads jerked around hard enough to give any normal person whiplash just watching them. "Yang?" Ruby squeaked. "What are you doing here?" Heat rose in the poor girl's cheeks, though the heat also rose in a glare, promising a horrible retaliation if the blonde ruined a new friendship.

"I helped make this happen, you know?"

"That's not what I meant! Why are you…?"

"Because!" Yang draped an arm around Ruby's shoulders, pulling her sister back as the two looked at the third person in their group. "I have to know who else has snagged my sis's heart."

"It's not like that!" Ruby was turning different shades of red. "We just met!" And Ruby remembered how introductions worked. "Yang- Ash. Ash- this is my sister, Yang."

"Yeah…" Ash finally managed out, eyes wide. "She has a… reputation back at Signal."

"Good or bad?" Yang had to ask.

Ash smacked his lips, trying to delay a response. "Are you fine with me with dancing with your sister?" he squeaked.

"Maybe." Yang leaned forward, setting her eyes ablaze with a mock fire meant only for people trying to ask her out. Or her sister. And until this point, it was used solely for the former. "What are your intentions with Ruby?"

Maybe Yang could smell fear, or she could smell deceit. Or she was just so frightening, Ash was imagining things. "I… uh," he stuttered. He backed up a bit more, almost running into another couple behind him. "I'll see you later, Ruby." And he backed away into the crowd, leaving the sisters behind.

"Crap, I didn't mean to scare him that hard," Yang groaned. She patted Ruby's hair who was starting to steam at her sister. The blonde sent her an apologetic look as she rushed away. "I'll get your boyfriend back, don't worry."

"He's not my-!" But it was too late. Yang was already out of sight, and Ruby wasn't going to raise her voice any higher. So she sighed, throwing her hands into the air while she walked for the exit. "I hate dances," she grumbled.

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

The students were having a grand time, despite what one girl may be experiencing. Besides that one case, everyone else had friends, dancing, and- most importantly- food. And as the night went on, less and less people were found on the dance floor, too tired and ready to merely sit and chat with their friends. And as more hours went on, few students started to leave- the ones either forced by their teams or used up all their energy for the night.

But those were the students. While some of the adults, chaperoning the event, had the same experience, many had different ones. Notably, Glynda was dragged onto the floor after an hour or two by Ironwood, finding no support from her boss who smiled at the two, a slightly mischievous twinkle in his eye. And with the night to himself, Ozpin observed the rest of the party. He also fully witnessed the misgivings of Ruby Rose, frowning when she stormed past, frustration clearly written on her face.

"Something wrong, Miss Rose?" Ozpin asked.

The girl was about to snap judging by how quickly she opened her mouth, but Ruby's jaw snapped back up when she realized who she was talking to. "I have a horrible sister," she mumbled out.

Ozpin nodded in understanding, taking a sip out of his punch. Spiked- very subtly, but there was definitely a hint of alcohol in it. With so many Semblances, it wasn't hard to imagine one would be used to make sneaking a hint of it in. Maybe speed or misdirection, if Ozpin had to guess. "Horrible sister?"

"Yeah," Ruby sighed. "She's cool, but she also stinks."

Ozpin nodded again. "Chasing away a date or telling an embarrassing story?"

Surprised, Ruby blinked at how easily the headmaster guessed her problem. "How did you-?"

"You are not the first pair of siblings to have attended Beacon," Ozpin explained. "Nor, I believe, are you the only ones currently in Beacon- I believe there's a fourth and second year pair." Then, Ozpin looked at Ruby pointedly. "Though, I do believe you are the only siblings in the same year without being twins."

Ruby blushed but smiled nonetheless at the underlying praise. She mumbled out a quick "Thank you," and walked passed.

It was only then Ozpin realized Ruby was walking barefoot, treading quickly to avoid the cold floor. Her shoes instead were in her left hand, dangling by the straps and while she received many looks from onlookers. Ozpin laughed- that wasn't the first time that had happened, either. As he stared at the girl leaving, his pocket vibrated. Puzzled as to who would send him a message at this time, Ozpin pulled out his Scroll and glanced at it.

" _Cut your desk off the CCT's servers._ "

Ozpin sighed; it appeared that his evening would also be a special case.

 **AN: There it is! The chapter's done.**

 **Hey, guys. Fireflame here. Well, there it is. Here's my birthday gift to you. Even though that's not how birthdays work, so let's just say it's my birthday gift for Monty's birthday that was a day ago. And that's also a neat coincidence for me.**

 **Also, I should make something clear. I'm not gonna ship Ruby with Ash/Farayan. Sorry if you want it, even I don't. Even if we average the ages, Ruby's either 2 years older than Ash, or Farayan's a couple centuries older than Ruby. So it's weird either way. Yes, I do mean either way since it's a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old.**

 **Well, this was still late for a birthday upload. Blame the search for a first job and Final Fantasy games for that. Oh, and college searching. Wow, Junior Year sucks, even during the summer.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Follow and Favorite to help, review if you wish.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	19. Chapter 19: Schemes

**AN: I'm both very proud of myself and disappointed at the same time. I got this chapter out for you guys very early- being in a car for hours can do that.**

 **But, I left out something pretty important from the last chapter.**

 **If you want to go read it, just skip to the end of the last chapter: it's all I missed. But, for those of you that just want to know the basis of that extra 400 words or so, I'll try to wrap it up in a few sentences.**

 **After Ruby stormed off, it changes to Ozpin's view. Ozpin talks with her for a few moments, picks her spirits up a tiny bit, and she leaves. When she does, he receives a message from an unknown source: "** _ **Cut your desk off the CCT's servers.**_ **"**

 **That's all you missed. Well, all** _ **I**_ **missed. Sorry about that. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY in any capacity- just playing in RT's sandbox of a world.**

Chapter 19: Schemes Ruin Days (and Maybe Lives)

Ozpin was conflicted.

This wasn't a good way to end such a lovely event. The children were getting to know their competitors and socialize. The day lifted a strain for the past week for the adults as well, not having to waste time grading or chaperoning dozens of assignments at once.

Yet, there was someone a way for Ozpin's day to be ruined.

"Glynda," Ozpin called out. The headmaster waited for a moment before shaking his head. Glynda disliked letting her hair down, though this was a time she did. And Ozpin was reminded of this when he looked up at the dance floor, remembering how his colleague was dancing with Ironwood.

Ozpin sighed. And the song just started. It would be quite rude of him to interrupt Ironwood's attempt to get the stoic woman to loosen up. So, he strolled out of the ballroom, Scroll in hand as he tried to walk as normally as possible.

 _Cut your desk off the CCT's servers._

Unknown number as well. And if he had to guess, probably a throw-away Scroll that was bought with Lien. So, an unknown caller making quite a confusing demand. No code words or authentication, so it couldn't be any of the Hunters Ozpin sent out for information.

Ozpin considered the request itself. Cut off direct access to the CCT? Maybe someone had infiltrated his desk and wanted Ozpin to cut off any attempt to get back into it? That couldn't be right, as he would know if anyone got into his office. It would make it harder to communicate with the rest of the officials and headmasters coordinating the festival.

No, it would be quite easy for Ironwood and Ozpin to exchange ideas from the Atlesian computers.

So, what did this person have to gain?

Well, they already had Ozpin's number, so it was not necessary to hide his identity. " _Who is this?_ " Ozpin typed back.

Seconds passed, and the person messaged back promptly. " _Just a friend._ " Another message came. " _We have a few things in common, you know?_ "

" _Who is this?_ "

" _No one important._ "

Ozpin was about to send another message when one came back. " _I've had a change of heart, so to speak._ "

" _Over what?_ " Ozpin typed.

" _The Queen._ "

The headmaster's blood froze. It could always be a fluke, but he had to find out. " _Of Mistral?_ "

" _No, Queen of Crime._ " Now Ozpin was confused. There was only the King of Crime- Roman Torchwick. Either there was another major figure in the underground world or Roman found someone equally as insane as himself. " _You know: uniting a bunch of criminals, trying to murder a fairy tale. You should really take care of the Maiden._ "

And his fears were confirmed. Before, Ozpin split his attention between knowing this character and carrying out the conversation. Now, this figure was given Ozpin's undivided attention. " _How do I know you're telling the truth?_ "

Almost a minute passed. Then: " _Most recent folder on your personal desk is called 'Lusus Naturae'_ , _whatever that is. Can I take a peek?_ "

Only three people in Vale could have known that folder existed. Should have known, apparently. " _What do you want?_ " Ozpin conceded.

" _Simple. Take your stuff off the CCT servers. A lot harder for my employer to track._ " A half-second after that message was sent, Ozpin's Scroll vibrated again. " _Wait, can I also say something else?_ "

" _What else?_ "

" _If I ask you for information, would you give it to me as a favor?_ "

" _I could give you immunity,_ " Ozpin replied. Why information, though? Must be for a future use, the headmaster thought, otherwise the character could take it from Ozpin's desk right then and there. " _You could be written as an informant once her reign is brought down._ "

" _You probably can't._ " Now, what did that mean, Ozpin wondered? Another message came before he could delve into that thought. " _So, do we have a deal?_ "

" _I can't promise I can give you this information._ "

" _And I can't promise I'll have to use it._ "

Ozpin sighed, walking back to his office. Why did he have a feeling he wasn't going to sleep that night?

- **xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Weiss was getting sick of listening to her partner groan. Twelve hours did nothing to Ruby's sour mood after the dance, and she took it out on the bowl of dangerously sugary cereal, stirring and stabbing at the milk. Normally, her behavior was mainly reserved for pre-test moping, though it wasn't moping directed at someone.

"Will you quit it?" Weiss snapped as Ruby groaned for the hundredth time. Ruby glanced up, huffed, and went back to her breakfast destruction. Beside them, Blake nodded at Weiss's words, nose predictably buried inside another book. "You don't have to mope around for the rest of the day," Weiss went on. "You were fine at the dance."

"I'm not mad about going to the dance," Ruby mumbled, spearing another bit of cereal. She paused, waiting for Weiss to rebuke or something. None came, so Ruby went on, "Not entirely. I'm mad at you."

"Me?" Weiss exclaimed, eyes widening. "Why are you mad at me?"

"Jaune."

Weiss waited for Ruby to go on, though, from the reaper's silence, the one word was supposed to explain itself. "What about Jaune?" Weiss asked.

"You asked him to go out with me."

And now the explanation clicked. Now it made sense: Ruby's sulking and glares at Weiss, her closed-off nature to her partner. Weiss sighed as she palmed her face. "Ruby, I didn't-."

Ruby interrupted her by clearing her throat loudly, another glare to go along with it. Weiss tried again, "It isn't as bad as it looks."

"Like my two best friends went behind my back because they pitied me?" Ruby asked.

Weiss winced. Worded like that, it painted her in the worst possible light. The wince only lasted for a moment as the heiress huffed, trying on an indifferent expression. "Asking Jaune wasn't for your sake," Weiss lied. It stung a bit to lie at her partner's face, but that glare did tone back its intensity. "Yang and I-."

"Yang also had something to do with this?" Ruby squeaked.

"We just wanted you to come to the dance," Weiss went on before Ruby's mind could wander. "We believed it would be more fun if the entire team joined instead of just your sister." She pointed discretely at the black cat to their side. "With you two moping and swallowed up in your own world, Yang wanted to drag you two out of your shells."

Ruby blinked at her explanation, completely focused on her partner instead of a part of her trying to ignore Weiss. "We weren't moping," Ruby argued.

"Please," Weiss scoffed. Though, a hint of amusement peeked out in her voice. "You were talking to your weapon before we dragged you out of the room." Then, the girl looked up in thought. "Actually, that is not entirely out of the normal for you."

"Aha!" Not exactly something to be proud of, but a victory for Ruby nonetheless. Talking to an inanimate object wasn't out of her character to say she was moping. No, it really wasn't a victory at all. Ruby pouted at the fact and rested her head against her arms. "That's mean," Ruby groaned.

A laugh escaped Weiss as she went back to her food. "It would help if you got rid of those ridiculous habits you have all the time."

"They're not ridiculous!"

"Please," Weiss denied her partner's argument. "Your obsession with your weapon is more romantic than some films."

Ruby opened her mouth to issue another retort, but that was the moment when the last member of RWBY plopped next to her sister, tray smacking the table and making the food jump almost out of the tray. "Hello," said the dead.

"When did you sleep last night?" Weiss exclaimed, looking over Yang. Her hair, normally a mane of gold, looked more like a wet golden retriever. It was still glistening from a shower a few minutes ago. And the bags under her eyes either spoke of a hangover or a long night. And Weiss made sure none of the alcohol present at the Ball went anywhere near the blonde.

"Dunno," Yang replied, voice muffled by a long yawn. "Midnight?"

"The Ball ended at ten!"

Yang shrugged as she dragged a spoon through her food. "Found some of Ruby's old friends."

As Yang made to go on, Ruby was on her sister in an instant. "You found Ash?" Ruby asked hopefully. The apologetic look she received melted Ruby's heart. She pushed Yang away, grabbing her tray as she got out of her seat.

"Ruby-," Weiss started. But it was already too late- the girl in red was already walking away, and it didn't look like she was turning around anytime soon. Weiss stared at her partner's back for a few more seconds before she conceded that the girl wasn't coming back. "What did you do?" Weiss demanded, turning around and glaring at Yang.

"I screwed up," Yang groaned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Weiss huffed, glaring at the blonde with indifference. "Remember the guy she was dancing with at the end?" Yang went on.

"Yes, what about him?"

Scratching the back of her neck, Yang tried to look at anything but the girl in front of her. "I may have scared him away?" Yang said with an embarrassed laugh.

"Really!"

"I didn't know he'd run," Yang retorted. "Anyway, I tried to find him after he ran off, but he must've been trying to avoid me." Yang groaned again, flopping on the table and narrowly missing her food tray. "I'm gonna ask around Signal, see if any of Ruby's friends knows who this Ash guy is."

There wasn't much Weiss could help with Yang's case. And, done with her breakfast, Weiss picked up her trash and swung herself out of her seat. "You may want to get on that quickly," Weiss warned. "Ruby can hold grudges against some things."

Yang winced. "I know- especially when it involves friends."

Weiss had to cast her teammate a sympathetic look. "I'll go check up on Ruby. Perhaps I can convince her it was just a mistake." The heiress walked away, leaving Yang to wallow in a plate of pancakes while Blake witnessed the entire thing behind a book. The faunus peered over it for a moment to give her own sympathizing look before immersing herself in a story. Though, it was hard for Blake to enjoy her book when her team's conversation kept ringing in her mind.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

" _Hey, Ruby. You up?_ "

Back in the "abandoned" warehouse, behind the same set of insulated pads, Ash hummed to himself- herself. Ruby's body was much easier to walk around in without catching any "false terrorist sightings". Sure, he could use the blonde-Ash one, but that was more of a ploy. Just for Ruby to have.

Cinder was also in the warehouse. It was more convenient to sneak one of those desk-things that Ozpin also had. Much more convenient in a warehouse no one would check than to sneak it into a combat school. Literally being under Ozpin's nose would smell very fishy. The thing was for all the data she had to work with, now that they'd gotten into the CCT communications. Successfully, if Ash could add with an air of smugness.

And it was a success for Ash as well. Well, for Farayan mainly. Though, the boy was still angry with Ash for leaving so suddenly. It wasn't _her_ fault he forgot about- no wait, it really was her fault. So, one of the voices in her head had a good, recent reason to be upset with Ash. At least she granted Farayan his wish! Ruby had a good time at the dance, she thought.

"Ignoring the fact that she probably lost Jaune as a friend," Ash thought aloud. She shrugged- fine by her. It's not like she took much interest of the boy beside what showed at the surface. A pretty face on an Arc child. Shame he had that fallout with Ruby, actually. Maybe Ash could have known more about what powers he possessed. But to do that, she'd need another skin to use. Ruby's was obviously never going to be believable from an outside perspective.

Speaking of Ash's favorite play-thing, the Scroll in Ash's hands vibrated with a message. " _Who is this?_ "

Ash chuckled to herself. Time to have fun with Ruby. " _Ash from yesterday._ "

The response was immediate. " _How'd you get my number? I never told you._ "

" _Got it off one of my friends._ " If Cinder counted as a friend. " _Had to bribe them with information about last night._ " Still not a lie. Well, technically he bribed _two_ people that night. The headmaster just never said if his bribe was worth anything.

" _Where'd you go last night?_ " Ruby asked. " _I heard my sister was trying to find you._ "

Ah, yes- Yang. Ash really had to find a way to take care of the girl. Because really, the only way she could see Cinder's plan through was by taking her out of the equation, and that came with barely a handful of solutions. The majority of which- dismemberment and flat-out killing- was outlawed by one "Farayan Shen". Ash sighed: the voice in his head made it harder for her to do anything. All the more reason to get creative. "What about non-permanent injuries?" Ash asked Farayan. "Like a dislocated shoulder or concussion?"

Nope, said the boy's thoughts. Then, there was a pause as he considered the question. Only for people that weren't close to Ruby, Farayan conceded.

"So that means the rest of the school?" Ash asked gleefully.

Request denied. Ash sighed, "Come on, they kept taunting her! You can't say she's close to them." The voice spoke again, turning Ash's exasperated expression into a humorous one. "They don't know the whole story?" Ash chuckled. "You know, the whole story includes us _actually_ being terrorists, kidnapped Ruby for personal benefits, and being monsters."

A quick correction came from Farayan. You- not us.

"Yeah, you're right," Ash laughed. "I just took you along for the ride."

Watch the Scroll, Farayan warned.

Ash looked back down at the screen to see a barrage of messages filled the screen during her and Farayan's discussion. " _Who'd you talk to? Nvm, why did you leave so quickly? I'm sorry if Yang scared you away, she stinks as a sister that way. Hello?_ " A few more messages followed, variations of the phrase: " _Are you there, Ash?_ "

" _Sorry, was talking to someone else._ " Now, Ash let Farayan take control of the hands. Easier to do that than to keep this relay system between the two. " _Sorry about running off. Ran from your sister because she was scary, then I had to leave with my family._ " That one was a lie. Farayan and Ash would be very hesitant about calling the other "family".

" _So it wasn't about Yang or me?_ "

" _Yang- a bit. You- no._ " Farayan could imagine Ruby sighing in relief, or maybe she was laughing at that. Yang could be intimidating like that, but Ash would very much disagree.

And on the subject of intimidation, the devil decided to stroll out of her office. In the back corner of the warehouse, a control center was built for a manager of a sort for legal businesses- where a manager could have a decent amount of peace and quiet in such a noisy area. The room was ideal for Ash- quiet and cut off from the other goons while also being on site-, but Boss-Lady Cinder decided to hog it for herself and her online infiltration.

With a bang, the door to Cinder's little "office" flew open as the woman stormed out. Her fists were clenched at her sides, arms rigid as she barged her way through the White Fang members. "Barged" may not be correct- it was more like the people realized the warpath she was on and decided to get out the she-devil's way.

The way directly to Ash's hiding place.

Ash peered around her wall when the initial bang sounded, about to start hurling around more insults or even hurling people. When she saw Cinder out of her office and coming over, though, the glare morphed into a surprised look. "Why's she like that?" Ash asked herself.

Maybe because they were jeopardizing Cinder's entire operation, Farayan suggested without a sound.

Laughing, Ash pulled her head back from the corner. "Oh, right." It was time for Ash's favorite game: "Messing with People Around Her."

The patter of high-heels drew closer and closer, and a few moments later, Cinder burst around the corner to see a Ruby laughing to herself, typing away on her Scroll. Her hand briefly caught fire, ready to incinerate the girl then and there. A second thought brought her to realize there were two Rubies, and the one on her side was in front of her. The flames extinguished as Cinder took a much-needed breath. "Ash," Cinder exhaled. "The plan didn't go as expected."

" _Oh, goody,_ " Ash thought to herself while maintaining a bemused expression. "I thought you said it did," she said aloud. "You gave me the signal and everything to leave."

"Ozpin found out," Cinder growled through clenched teeth. "Did you do anything to sabotage this?"

At that, Ash had to laugh. The thought of it was borderline crazy- with Cinder, though, it made a bit of sense. "Let me get this straight," Ash confirmed. "You think I somehow, with a magical ability or something, tipped Ozpin off by uploading the virus wrong?"

"Being that specific does not help your cause. You are the creature that adapts to its surroundings, are you not?"

"Honey," Ash started, clicking her tongue in disappointment. Cinder's fists balled up even tighter; she wasn't keen on the idea of someone talking down to her like this, especially over a plan _they_ were supposed to see through. "I'm a Grimm in a child's body." The girl in question gestured to her body to emphasize the point. "Where do you think I would learn computer stuff?"

Point made, though it didn't solve Cinder's predicament or explain anything. "And Farayan-?"

"Farayan's mentally a thirteen-year-old that was locked up for two of those years. I don't think he could screw over the process, not with me watching over."

Cinder raised an eyebrow at one of the words in Ash's sentence. "Mentally?" she asked.

And the word trap was sprung. Ash grinned deviously, her teeth showing all the way back to her molars. "Physically," she said in a familiar man's voice, the voice suggestive in nature. "I can be whatever you want."

Cinder scoffed and groaned at the same time, turning away from a sinkhole of a conversation. "Roman has left a horrible impact on you," she commented.

Ash put a hand to her chest, gasping in horror. "Roman is a great person," she exclaimed. "How dare you say that about my-!" Abruptly, the girl tilted her head mid-sentence with a curious expression. Then, she laughed without warning, getting a raised eyebrow out of Cinder who watched with the same expression she always did whenever Ash talked to Farayan: boredom. "You're right," Ash conceded to the voices. "Maybe Roman is pretty bad. He's fun, though."

Scoffing, Cinder started to turn away from the insane girl, leaving her to talk to the voices in her head. "Wait." Cinder stopped and glanced at the Scroll in Ash's hands. "What are you doing all the time, back here?"

A devious smirk made its way on Ash's face. "Toying with my favorite person," she answered as she showed the Scroll's screen.

What Ash kept obsessing about intrigued Cinder, and she tilted her head to read the messages easier. "Roman?" Cinder clarified.

"What? No." Ash let out a small giggle. It was a bit unnerving, even to Cinder- to know what Ash was like with her extremely polarized personalities along with the mind of a monster, hidden behind such an innocent appearance. Cinder's little pet had the best disguise. "I'm talking about Ruby," Ash explained. "She's so innocent- it's funny."

Cinder kept reading the incoming messages. "It appears she wants to go out with you," she pointed out, voice barely wavering with amusement.

"What?" Ash exclaimed. The Scroll jerked back as the owner glued her eyes to the screen. The grin widened to inhuman levels. "This is gonna be fun," Ash sang as she pulled back, laughing. It was too perfect. Then, she frowned while tilting her head to the side. A groan escaped her as Ash threw her head back. "What do you mean you don't want to?" She asked.

It's awkward, thought Farayan. Ash could feel him shrink back in their shared mind. What if Ruby found out, what if they were caught, what if Yang blew it for them- panicked thoughts like those washed over Ash in a wave.

Ash was starting to have a headache from the teenage boy's nonexistent worries. "Shut up," she snapped aloud. "This was your idea to keep in contact with her."

Actually, Farayan corrected, it was Ash's.

"You're the one that wanted to get right in her personal life," Ash reworded. "Not my fault you don't have the strength to see it through." At this point, Cinder had left, not willing to spend a second more than necessary with this… mess. The quiet shouts and dampened noise came back from the other side of the insulation again with their de-facto leader back in her office. "What do you mean, 'It's not that simple'? Here, I'll say, 'sure', and you go on your little-."

A brick wall slapped around Ash's mind, courtesy of Farayan. Ash howled in pain, making the White Fang members behind her jump for the second time in a few minutes. Her head felt like mush, and Ash had to sit still, hands on her forehead, concentrating on just getting her bearings and reordering her mind. Through the haziness, she could imagine Farayan sitting in the back of her head, right where she left him, wearing the same smug expression Ash perfected.

The brick wall was nothing compared to the pain Farayan was experiencing. Instead of the sensation of ramming a head into a wall, Farayan felt as if his brain was trying to escape his skull, pushing up against the bone while Ash felt nothing. While Farayan's little stunt left Ash in a moment of pain, Farayan was going to feel the squeeze for the next few days, unable to overpower the sheer force the War'Din had over the mind.

At least, Farayan was supposed to feel it for the next few days. But, Ash's Scroll rang in her pocket, jarring the girl back to reality. Confused, she released her hold on Farayan, leaving him to retreat somewhere deeper in the little space Ash had lent him. Already a Scroll in hand, Ash pulled the second one out of her pocket, reading the message. Her bad mood evaporated with the few words on the screen.

Ozpin: _"What information do you need?_ "

"Hey, Fary," Ash called out. The guy crawled out of the hole he hid in, still hesitant to interact with the monster. "Better finish up the plans with Ruby. I've got a friend to break out."

 **AN: Hey, this is early for me. Hello, Fireflame here. Right now, I'm on a road trip for college visits- cue the tired "yay"! And so, with about 4 hours on the road every other day, I've got a ton of time to catch up on stuff: Chapters, stories I need to catch up on, summer reading.**

 **Back to the story, though. I think I'm trying to set a goal on ruining a day of every single member of JNPR and RWBY. I think I set an unintentional goal, but I'm probably not gonna meet it. Nora and Ren are too… uninteresting for me to ruin. Jaune and Pyrrha's days were ruined at the ball and by Ruby respectively. Ruby by… obvious things. Weiss I almost ruined- maybe I'll do that later. Blake: oh, Blake. I'm gonna have a fun time ruining her day. Yang's I ruined by chasing away Ash.**

 **But Ren and Nora? I just don't have anything, really. I could bring Mr. Wacky-Inflatable-Arm-Flailing Tube Man from Season 4, but that's pushing the region where the thing was found. Maybe break Nora's legs? Actually, that's not an entirely bad idea.**

 **I'm sorry for putting that in my mind because I might just do that.**

 **And also, I reintroduced Ozpin in this. Who am I breaking out? Who knows- I gotta write his lines. But I promise this: you will love who I break out and why I do. As long as you also hate Cinder's motives as much as I do, it's going to be fun.**

 **Finally, Ruby and Farayan. Like I said, no date. No ship. That ain't happening. It's weird to write about romances that early. No 13 and 15-year-olds hooking up- hold up, that's literally the ship for Oscar and Ruby. Well… I just have to hope White Rose is canon so I don't have to go over that line.**

 **Onto the review:**

 **ThatGreenDooredBookshop: Well, hello, old friend. I try my best to create anxiety wherever it is, needed or not. It's just going to get much worse. Much, much worse. Tests… I understand the horror. Thank god it's summer. I just got lazy and forgot to do stuff I normally do like read, study, eat, Discord. And I do mean that literally- skipped about 7 breakfasts in a row.**

 **Well, that's about everything. Goodbye, and see you all next chapter.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	20. Chapter 20: Breakouts and Break-Throughs

**AN: Hey, I got this one in on time. Enjoy your stay at Lusus Naturae, and please support the story. I'll make the next few chapters faster.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY and this is just for fun. And to see where my mind can go- it's weird.**

Chapter 20: Breakouts and Break-Throughs

Ironwood stifled his yawn as the elevator doors started to open. "Ozpin," he called out, the general's voice tired and slurred. "You better have a good reason for pulling me in here again." It was only then he realized there was another presence in the room. One he danced with last night. "Hello, Glynda."

"James." A stiff voice replied.

"Now really, Glynda," Ozpin called from behind his desk. "We're all allies in this room." Picking up on the General's dreary mood, Ozpin gestured to the coffee machine against the wall, in it a brown treasure ready and steaming for anyone to use.

Ironwood grunted a quick "thanks" and poured a cup for himself, and then he poured most of it down his throat. Straight-black coffee. And the man only sighed as he came back with another full glass. "I see that's something you two have in common," Glynda remarked dryly.

"I'm not a morning person," Ironwood replied, sipping at his coffee this time. The first cup must have been a quick rush- like an ice-cold shower. "Hours of overtime? Simple. But it takes me a few hours to wake up." Sipping one last time, he pointed his cup to the man sitting behind the desk. "And I might say the same about him as well."

Ozpin shook his head, but the bags under his eyes told a different story. Along with the frizzled gray hair and the wrinkled suit, it appeared as if the headmaster hadn't even changed out of his clothes from the night before. "Too much to think about to get any sleep," Ozpin explained his state.

That was news to Goodwitch, as she squinted at the man who pulled out his signature mug and taking a large swig of the brown liquid. "Worrying about what?" she asked.

"Your reactions to this." Ozpin clacked a single key on his board, and the monitor popped back to life. The other two glanced up to see the message spelled proudly in a familiar blue glow.

" _You have disconnected from the CCT servers. Reconnect?_ "

"Ozpin, what the hell?" Ironwood roared. Beside him, Goodwitch wasn't trying to placate or calm the general- not even an argument. Quite the opposite. She rounded on the headmaster with the same ferocity as the Atlesian. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

Ozpin blinked, taking another drink. "I've disconnected from the CCT servers."

That even, unemotional tone only fanned the flames. Ironwood slammed both hands against the desk, leaning through the holographic projection to glare at Ozpin. "That was possibly the single most idiotic thing you could've done in your position," he growled. "Do you have any idea what the council will think of this? You're already under scrutiny for not taking the security of this festival under heavy consideration- why do you think _I'm_ here?"

"I assumed it was to protect your own students from the threat of the Queen, not because someone from the council suggested it."

"That's not the point!" Ironwood growled again, stepping away from the desk. The general gripped his head, trying not to tear out his hair while also trying not to tear a hole in the headmaster's desk. "What will the council see now? Nothing! You've cut off access to the CCT. That means you can't communicate directly with those responsible for the festival. Or the headmasters, or the officials- hell, you can't even talk to your staff directly without that!"

Ozpin tilted his head, like everything the man just listed off was something he could brush away. "I have Glynda to help me with that," he replied.

"I did not sign up for this," Goodwitch rounded on him. "You are not using me for meaningless tasks that you could do yourself if you hadn't _done this idiotic task in the first place._ "

"I know that my dear," Ozpin said. "Now, if you will just listen-."

"What is there to listen to?" Ironwood roared again. "Your chances with the counsel were hanging on a small thread. Those stunts with that RWBY team, chasing the White Fang around and the mishandling of the rumors- they've caught onto my _own_ students as well. And the entire debacle of Ruby Rose. This may as well have been the last straw for you."

Ozpin pulled out his Scroll, still neatly tucked into his coat pocket all this time. "And it also may have saved your position as both a headmaster _and_ a general." With a quick passcode, the Scroll blinked to life, and Ozpin slid the thing across the desk.

Ironwood stopped it right before it would have fallen, still glaring at the careless headmaster as he picked up the Scroll. Then, Ironwood flipped it over and was greeted with a brief conversation. From an anonymous source. Might've been from one of his Hunters using a different line- Qrow, perhaps? They hadn't heard from him in weeks. He read through the messages, each one peaking his interest even more.

Alright, the General thought. The man had connections with the Queen, so their information would be easier to from this source. Or, it could have been a major ruse meant to draw Ozpin out into revealing how much he actually knew about this woman. No code phrases and Ironwood was almost done with the entire conversation. Either meant an enemy or someone that was turning. So why-?

Ironwood skimmed one of the last few messages, and his eyes landed on a particular phrase. Two words that weren't uttered by anyone but a handful of people, and three of them were in the room. Another retired, and they were all banned from using it in conventional sentences. "Is this real?" Ironwood demanded, the blood draining from his face.

Goodwitch was shocked at how quickly his attitude flipped, but Ozpin only nodded sadly. "Location and name were correct," Ozpin confirmed, exiting out of the message box on his projected screen. There, his files were shining in the air, and Ironwood took a look at the top-left one. Sure enough, the exact words he was dreading.

 _Lusus Naturae._

"I thought you would have deleted that file," Ironwood said. He palmed his face, shaking his head at the revelation. The general really needed a drink- preferably one a bit stronger than coffee.

Ozpin shook his head. "Needed it as a reference. With Ruby interacting with him- it- for so long, I was trying to determine if there were any lasting effects on her body. And psyche, for that matter."

"Hold on," Goodwitch put in before either man could get in another word. "What is this 'Lusus Naturae' business? And why is this such a major revelation for the two of you?" And as an after-thought, Goodwitch added, "What does Ruby have to do with this?"

For a moment, Ironwood stared at his colleague in surprise before turning back to Ozpin. "You never told her?"

Again, Ozpin shook his head. "It's been a busy year," he answered. "The kidnap, Ruby's recovery, this looming Queen we've been hunting, the Vytal Festival- I just never got around to telling you, Glynda."

"An explanation now would be good," Goodwitch demanded.

"And one you deserve." The headmaster took a moment to compose himself, a million thoughts whirling in his mind that he had to sort out. "You remember Ruby's captor? How he managed to injure a guard and escaped with Miss Rose? Did you not think it was odd that the young man eluded us for so long without, from what victims told us, any idea what he was doing?"

At that, Goodwitch narrowed her eyes. "I believe the story was that he was a White Fang member with a plot gone wrong. Farayan Shen, was it? A criminal they'd only recently discovered in Atlas?"

"That was a cover," Ironwood answered for Ozpin. "Long story short-."

"I'd prefer the full version."

"Later," Ironwood promised. "But for now, I believe we should get back to Ozpin's story soon. Long story short: Farayan Shen was a top-secret project involving a Grimm that could morph its own body. There was a boy used to harness this power, and the Grimm eventually escaped."

"So the boy-."

"Dead," Ironwood interrupted. "From the reports, stole his 'essence'." Ironwood blew a deep breath- this part of the report always left his understanding partway between science and fiction. "Point is: Atlas retrieved this Grimm and put it down."

Goodwitch nodded. She was still frustrated at the lack-luster explanation, but it would have to do for now. "So what does this have to do with our problem now?"

With that problem out of the way, Ozpin sighed in relief. But finally, out of the frying pan, into the fire he went. "It appears the Queen had access to this information," he said. "The used to, but an… informant… mentioned this fact to me in exchange for a favor."

Ironwood passed the Scroll over to Goodwitch who glanced over at the messages. Up to speed, Glynda let out a deep breath- no wonder the two men were so tense before. "No indication on who this informant is?"

"Not even a remote guess," Ozpin sadly replied. "We have no idea who it is or what information this person desires. Only that he is somehow inducted in the Queen's ranks and is trusted enough to have this information."

Goodwitch took a moment to consider their options. "What are the chances that this informant has been caught?" she asked.

"Unlikely."

Surprised, the woman whipped around to face the general. Really, she shouldn't have been surprised- years as a top officer in Atlas would have exposed him to countless experiences just like this. A mysterious figure with valuable information and no clear motivation, all while Ironwood had to identify who it was. "If the informant was caught, they'd either be on the run, killed, or interrogated. The first two are the most likely, and if this person was on the run, there would be more messages. Panicked or asking for protection, maybe trying to squeeze out more information. With all these outcomes, there's only two that are reasonable- either they're dead or still trusted."

Ozpin nodded along to Ironwood's words, agreeing with just about everything he said. "So there's only one thing to do," he analyzed. "Message back to see if he can reply or not." Receiving nods by the other two, and his Scroll back from Goodwitch, the headmaster drummed idly on his device. "What's the safest thing I could ask?"

Half a minute passed, and Ironwood suggested, "What information this person wants."

"Excellent." Once again, Ozpin messaged his mysterious friend. " _What information do you need?_ " Ozpin laid his Scroll back down on the desk, facing his colleagues. "I'll inform you if our friend replies or not. I believe we all might need this if it is as important-."

A buzz interrupted Ozpin's small speech. He looked down at his Scroll, The screen lit with a new message, then back up at the two. "Well," he remarked. "That was quick."

They crowded around the Scroll to read the new message. " _If someone's arrested in Vale, are you gonna put them in Vale's jail or those Atlas ships?_ " Before a suggested answer was even forming in the adults' minds, another message came. " _And I mean like a really bad criminal. Like internationally bad._ "

Confused, the three adults looked at each other. "What?" Ironwood finally spoke. "He's asking information for a hypothetical situation? In _this_ situation?"

"Still," Ozpin drawled. He was just as confused as the general, but this one question couldn't exactly harm them. Could it? Well, for an internationally-wanted criminal, they would be given to the kingdom of their origin or the most secure prison at hand. And that would have to be Atlas's airships- flying behemoths that anyone could spot within the kingdom's borders, with enough firepower to take down most invasions. Not to mention the dozens of safety measures to even board a single ship.

That didn't exactly answer the unsaid question, though. "Do we really answer this?" Goodwitch asked. "There's not exactly a point for this question."

"This person may have a reason to ask, though," Ozpin commented. "They did mention it would be impossible to give them immunity." Ozpin stopped to rub his chin, deep in thought because of the strange request. "We do know, however, this person is in Vale. Or at least, plans to be."

Ironwood nodded at the headmaster's assessment. "Asking about which jail they'd go to is a good indication of that," he agreed. "I don't see a reason why we _can't_ answer their question."

With a murmured agreement by Goodwitch, Ozpin answered the mystery person. " _Most likely an Atlas airship._ "

The next question threw him off-balance. " _And if I ask for a cell number or something? Or for you to release them?_ "

As soon as Ironwood read it, he cupped his face again. "They're planning a breakout," he muttered. Then, louder and not into his hands, Ironwood repeated, "This is a breakout. We're answering questions for a potential breakout. We can't keep this up- just deny any more questions until they give us something more valuable."

"They gave us priceless information," Goodwitch argued. "Surely this-."

"Ironwood is right," Ozpin interrupted. The two turned back to a haggard headmaster- the only thing that appeared to keep the man up was the stress in his frame. "I can't answer this without something else." And so, he messaged back to their informant. " _We most likely can't answer that. Not unless you give us something equally as valuable as the one you're breaking out._ "

A few minutes went by, and it gave the adults time to discuss amongst themselves. What were they thinking? Who could this person be, and were these questions real? Did they have to shore up the defenses on the airship? Amidst the discussion, another message came. " _How about this: I'll expose who the Queen is along with anyone completely loyal. Sound good?_ "

Now that piqued the adults' interests. The information they'd been searching for at their fingertips, in exchange for a prison break. Either it was a good deal, an international criminal for the woman that attacked a Maiden, or it was a horrible one. Maybe it was a plan to break out every single one of them out of life imprisonment, or maybe it was just a favor they themselves were repaying. " _Can we exchange information now?_ " Ozpin answered under the advice of his colleagues.

Only a few moments passed this time. " _No, they're not caught yet. I'll tell you if they are._ "

Ironwood threw his hands in the air, frustrated at all the cloak and hypothetical dagger this figure had. Another message came through. " _I'm pretty sure it's all gonna happen, anyway. So, do we have a deal?_ "

What were they supposed to say? Yes, if an unnamed criminal gets locked in one of the most secure prison cells in an Atlesian airship prepared for a breakout, they would give away information of exactly where he or she would be stored and how to get them out. In exchange, they'd get the information of the Queen and anyone "completely loyal". So they'd still not receive information of who the mysterious informant really was.

What did they have to lose? Well, a breakout for starters. And… not much else. And since it appeared to be a low-risk-high-reward situation, it didn't look like a bad deal. This may be their only chance to expose the Queen and her subjects.

It took half an hour to discuss what they had to lose, and it took another hour for them to talk about the weight benefits against the weight of risks. Finally, they reached a single conclusion. Ninety minutes condensed into one word.

" _Deal._ "

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Weiss sighed at her rotten luck. Half an hour after the incident in the cafeteria, and the heiress was dragging herself back to her dorm. The petals from Ruby only gave Weiss so much of a trail, but eventually, the red became too sparse to follow- either because Ruby stopped her Semblance, or she was too fast for Weiss.

So for the past half hour, Weiss was running around Beacon, going to the regular hiding spots. The Roofs, behind Ruby's personal tree, the library- Blake's hiding place sometimes held the little red girl. But nothing turned up. Defeated, Weiss sighed as she reached their room. The girl would just have to wait for Ruby to come back on her own terms.

…Or not. Weiss heard a scamper of noise inside their dorm before she entered. And now that she was back, the heiress could only blink. There was her partner. Digging through the closet with what looked like a panicked fervor. "Are you serious," Weiss breathed out- not as a question, but a statement. She sighed in either frustration or exasperation: she couldn't even tell. "You've been here the entire time. I even tried calling you!"

"I was busy," Ruby rushed out, rushing past.

Weiss watched as her partner rummaged through another stack of clothes, the younger girl muttering to herself. She pulled one out in particular- the dress she wore last night- before shaking her head and throwing it back in the dresser where it laid in a pile of discarded fabric. "What _are_ you doing?" Weiss asked.

Ruby slumped back, finally looking at her partner. And Weiss was surprised at the state she was in. Not with a knotted forehead from frowning or a grouchy grumble- it was some mix of a happy euphoria and stress. Like Ruby was dreading something she was excited about. "Looking for clothes," Ruby said.

No, _really_ , Weiss thought behind rolled eyes. "And why are you looking for clothes?" she asked. "I thought you always wore that same thing, only with a few different shades."

"But that's the thing," Ruby whined, throwing her hands up in the air. "He'll know I always wear those. I want something else to wear."

"Hold on." Weiss held up a hand to stop whatever Ruby had next to ramble on about. "Wear for what? And who always knows?"

Ruby blinked before she let out an "Oh" of remembrance. "Ash," she answered. "We're going to see something on Sunday." The happy air that surrounded the girl was only overpowered by the glow emitting from her.

Silence fell for a few moments as Weiss tried to make sense of her words. "And- um- how do you know this?" she asked.

"He messaged me," Ruby asked.

Another pause. "And… how did he get your number? Especially when Yang chased him off?"

"He talked to my friends." Ruby continued her search through the mess of a closet. "And if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to find something to wear on Sunday."

At that little detail, Weiss blinked. "Sunday's tomorrow," she exclaimed with wide eyes.

"I know!" And then the stress settled back in. "What am I going to do?" Ruby groaned. The girl laid back, hitting the ground with a thud. The shock as her back jostled up didn't register for Ruby, too wrapped up in her thoughts to notice anything happen around her- or even _to_ her. "I'm so dumb," Ruby mumbled. "I just asked if we could hang out, then he said tomorrow was open, and now…" Ruby groaned again, draping one arm over her eyes.

Weiss had to laugh. Now, this was the Ruby she expected: excitable and jumpy, yet completely hopeless when it came to any type of social interaction. Starting with her clothing… "We can go shopping if you'd like," Weiss suggested.

At that, Ruby barely moved her arm up, giving her a slit to peek through. "Go on…"

"You obviously need some help picking out clothes." Weiss received a weak "Hey" from Ruby in protest. "Don't look at me like that; your style is the same look every single day besides your uniform."

"It's working, though." Argued Ruby in a small voice.

All the girl received was a raised eyebrow from Weiss, unconvinced. "And you're having this problem because…" she countered. No rebuttal came. "Stores don't close until ten." Weiss started to back out the door. "If you really want to get new clothes, I suppose we could go any time you'd like-."

And Weiss found herself whisked out of the room and through the hall at a blazing speed. The source of it, of course, was her hyper red-cloaked partner dragging Weiss by the hand. "Why not now?" Ruby shouted happily.

"Slow down!"

 **AN: Council vs. Counsel. I hate English sometimes.**

 **Well, that's the end of that chapter.** **Who is Ash breaking out of jail? What will happen to Ozpin's bargain? How is Ruby's date going to go down? And to that last one, I have no idea.** **So school's coming back, and I'm still so far away from the end of this story. I'm both happy I still have so much more to write (it's going to be fun to write), and it's going to suck to balance those essays and applications with writing. And I'm trying to get a job now, so yeah. it's gonna suck trying to schedule all this.**

 **I'll try and finish this up soon- I have so many more stories and plans that really need time.**

 **Tune in next year: no, that's not the next chapter. It's the next major story I have.**

 **And tune in this fall: I'm gonna try and break Weiss. Yes, I can break someone else than Ruby.**

 **Anyways, please review and support the story.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	21. Chapter 21: Preparation

**AN: I'm sorry this took so long, readers. School started, and I fell so far behind on piano- August was a mess. But I got through it, and I'm hoping September brings a bit more normality soon.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. Wish I could, but I also wished that Mercury and Emerald had some actual character to them. Oh well.**

Chapter 21: Preparation

"No, you're not dressing for a funeral."

"But you told me to dress my colors!"

"Your colors are red and black, not midnight black and blood red; Ruby, you'll be invisible at night."

A clump of clothes slapped the floor out of frustration. "They're the same thing!"

"They're too dark!" Weiss picked up the discarded clothes and hung them on a nearby rack. "You're much too vibrant for something of that dark of a shade. Here." She thrust another top at Ruby. "Try this one."

Ruby groaned. Thirty minutes is all it took for Ruby to remember why she hated shopping- and why she usually just stuck to one outfit. At least with Yang, Ruby could get a handful of casual clothes or things Yang deemed "cute" for her. In and out, an hour or so of shopping while most of the time was spent for Yang to pick out any new accessory she would need for the month. Even then, Ruby complained about how long her sister was taking every few minutes when the blonde would just stare at a rack of scarfs. Back then, it was boring.

Now, with Weiss, it was torture.

A superior fashion sense also came with it a stricter line of clothes to choose from. And Ruby didn't have an option to choose her comforting clothes as they were shopping for her big day. Weiss took control of what colors Ruby should wear, what type of clothes would be fit for a big occasion- yet not formal, and what kind of patterns or designs. Since they had a day and not a week to Weiss's desire, the last variable was tossed out.

They were down to the last few combinations of shirts, blouses, skirts, and dresses. And when Weiss said a few, Ruby saw half the store. All the while, the heiress was pulling more things off the racks, staring for precious Ruby-seconds, then putting it back with a shake of her head. Ruby tried to chime in, giving her partner a few other pieces of clothes.

Naturally, they were usually shot down.

"You can't pair those with anything you could pull off."

"This is a date- unless you're going to another ball, put it back."

"Too much lace on the sides."

And the ever-so-classic: "No."

Half an hour turned into hours, and Weiss was still trying to combine her own combinations into more sets of outfits. All the while, Ruby was starting to lose her sanity. Not starting, sorry- just losing her sanity as Weiss shook her head again. Really, Ruby thought with a hunched back. How many outfits could someone make out of red and black clothes?

Ruby came out of the changing room yet again, donning a crimson blouse and a plain black pair of pants. In the little booth, Ruby stared at the mirror, admiring her reflection. This should be the one, she thought with a quick twirl. Quite casual, yet nothing _too_ casual. Nothing revealing, and definitely her colors. This was the one.

Weiss put a hand to her chin, examining her creation. The white-haired girl made a small circle with her finger, and Ruby gave her a slow spin. "It's good, right?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"It's good," Weiss affirmed. "You two are going to the movies?" Ruby nodded, and Weiss painted the image in her mind, placing this Ruby in her scenario. "It's good," she said again.

Elated, Ruby started to pump her fists in the air. "It needs something, though," Weiss drawled, tapping a finger to her chin. She blew a breath of concentration, pairing Ruby with some other thing to make the outfit perfect. And Ruby? She actively tried to not bash her head into a wall. "A jacket would go well with this."

"Then pick out a jacket," Ruby growled. That refrainment of hitting a wall failed, and Ruby's forehead felt a bit sore from the wood wall. "Get a red one or even a silver one," Ruby jested with a bit of hysteria in her voice. "One with a lot of sparkles and glitter on it."

Weiss made to berate her teammate's impatience. But, something Ruby said made her stop. The outlandish jacket for someone glamorous- absolutely not.

Something silver, on the other hand…

To Ruby's horror, Weiss dived back in the back of the clothing store, examining the rows with a critical eye. Instead of the bulk of clothes on the benches outside of the changing room, the heiress picked out three pieces of clothes with a hawk's precision. Coming back, Weiss handed Ruby the items, making sure to hang the pants just a bit lower to make a rough silhouette. "That should be it," Weiss insisted.

Oh, if Ruby had a lien for every time Weiss had said that, she'd be able to buy a personal shopper. Though, as Ruby made to grab Weiss's selection, it already looked fashionable to even her. "Can we just say it's it and leave?" Ruby pled.

"No." Ruby groaned again as she turned back to occupy the same stall. "I just need to see if I picked the right shades," she heard Weiss explain behind her.

"Not the tint?" Ruby joked. Who knew colors had to be so precise? The heiress could tell obsidian black from grease black to pitch black, while Ruby just saw black. And then the different tints and tones and whatever Weiss kept muttering about- Ruby tried to hate the words instead of her partner. It wasn't Weiss's fault the fashion industry invaded her mind.

A minute later, Ruby came back out. The tired, angry frown was permanent on her face at this point. She was cursing and scowling silently, hating anyone that decided one shade of red was so different from one of the exact same color. Before the moping reaper could curse any more fashionistas, Weiss's triple clap knocked Ruby out of her stupor. "Yes," Weiss exclaimed. "We found it!"

Ruby's feet felt like lead like she ran a marathon and a sprint, yet she was still in the same spot as she started. And when those words hit her ears, Ruby threw her head back and laughed. Both fists were in the air, and the girl was ready to collapse back on the spot. "Can we go now?" Ruby asked, finally her voice with genuine hope instead of half-believing her words.

Weiss nodded, and Ruby wanted to whoop for joy- or cry in relief, one or the other. Weiss's remaining outfits went on the small rack outside the changing rooms, piled high by the other outfits Weiss envisioned. As Ruby helped, she couldn't hold back a small remark: "Remind me to never bring you shopping, please."

Weiss continued to hang the last few items, leaving Ruby to think her jab went unheard. Ruby shrugged, turning to change into her regular skirt and cape- at least _those_ she knew Weiss wouldn't criticize. With her back turned, Weiss thought of a new way to torture Ruby. "I wonder if a headband would work well with it," she teased.

Behind the stall door, Weiss heard Ruby shout a curse at the top of her lungs. That got a chuckle out of Weiss as she stood back, waiting for the girl to come out. Ruby came out, scowling as she threw the winning outfit into Weiss's arms before storming past. "You're paying for this."

Stifling a laugh, Weiss adjusted the clothes in her hands so they wouldn't wrinkle on the flight back to Beacon. Finally looking up, she watched as Ruby pushed open the exit doors, and only then did Ruby's words ring true in her mind. "Wait, it's _your_ clothes for _your_ date!"

"Serves you right!" Ruby yelled back, storming out of the store.

Right now, Weiss didn't know whether to sigh, chuckle, or curse herself. She really should have seen that coming.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Ruby's still not talking to you?" Blake asked.

A day had passed, and still, Yang had one eye constantly trained on her sister. Throughout the following day, up until the last class, Ruby had gone without a word exchanged with Yang other than the brief, single-word answers Ruby muttered with her head bowed. Yang knew she screwed up at the ball but did Ruby really keep a grudge over that?

"I know," Yang sighed. She made to say more to her partner, but a red blur shot between them, the sound of heels clicking on the floor at a running pace. "Ruby wait!" And her sister was already out of earshot, still sprinting away before turning into another hall. A groan escaped Yang as she threw her head back, exasperated. "Why is she still mad at me?"

"Have you apologized yet?" Blake inquired.

"She won't give me the chance." The blonde stared down the hall, looking after the vivid red petals floating along Ruby's trail. "I didn't think she'd still be mad after this long."

"Oh, she isn't mad at you."

Yang turned to stare at Weiss whose words were news to the blonde. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember Weiss ever speaking today either. Just what did she know… "Then why isn't she speaking to me?" Yang demanded.

"It's because-." Weiss made to answer, mouth halfway open before her eyes widened just the slightest bit. "I- it's… Actually, forget it. She's still mad at you."

"Weiss. Spill it."

Vehemently, Weiss shook her head. "I promised Ruby I wouldn't tell you."

"Specifically, me, or just tell no one at all?"

"Specifically, you."

And Detective Yang stared at Weiss like she was a scientist scrutinizing a bug. "So, just me." The girl put a hand to her chin, eyes squinting in thought. "That means she either has a secret against me or one she wants to keep from me."

It was unnerving for Weiss, under the gaze of Yang's piercing look. The brawler saved that amount of concentration for fights or for those that angered her. Hours seemed to pass as Weiss fidgeted, trying to keep moving along back to their dorm while Yang stalked her. But the sun was still stuck where it was, casting long shadows as it sank halfway in the sky. Only a few seconds had passed- maybe a minute- as Weiss sighed. "Protective sister" didn't do Yang's role justice, and Weiss was learning why.

Yang muttered under her breath, piecing together what secret Ruby was keeping. "Does she know something embarrassing about me?"

Weiss snorted, but her indifference was undermined by the uncomfortable look of being the center of attention. "Considering you two are sisters, it seems very likely."

"No blackmail or embarrassing stories, then. Did she pick up a new habit that I don't want to know about?"

"No."

"Something embarrassing that happened to Ruby?"

"…That's not too far off, in all honesty."

Hoping the interrogation would end soon, Weiss reached for their dorm's doorknob, ready to collapse after a long day of classes. But as she pushed down, another girl on the other side shouldered through the door, not knowing there was someone in her way. Weiss and Ruby let out yelps as they ran into each other.

"Weiss!" Yang exclaimed in surprise, backing away as Weiss stumbled back, falling while she held her spinning head in her hands. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," the girl in white grumbled.

From beyond the door, another voice moaned in pain. "Ow…"

With Weiss on the floor and Yang helping her onto her feet, Blake peered through the doorway, curious. There was only one other person that should be in their room, and they'd seen her dash off minutes ago. "Ruby?" Blake asked the girl, cradling her head as she rolled on the ground moaning. "Where were you going in a hurry?"

"Out," Ruby mumbled between her fingers.

"Ruby," Weiss spoke with a sharp tone. Her head was no longer ringing from the impact, though the upset attitude didn't disappear as quickly as the ringing. "It's barely four. You said it didn't start for another half hour."

"I know," the girl in question whined. Ruby peeled herself off the ground to sit up, legs crossed. "I just didn't want to… you know… explain to Yang."

Weiss could see the reason in Ruby's words, but she sighed as she replied, "Understandable. But you are not leaving me to explain it to your sister."

"Time out." Yang held out her hands in a pause sign. "What are you two hiding? Answers. Now." As an afterthought, staring at her sister, she had to ask, "Also, what are you wearing?"

Hoping to find help, Ruby looked up to Weiss with pleading eyes, but she merely received an apologetic look without all of the sincerity behind it. A look that said, " _Sorry, you're on your own._ "

Truly, Ruby's best friend.

Ruby sighed as she turned to face Yang. "We went shopping yesterday?" Ruby squeaked out with a forced smile.

"Need more, sis'."

The girl on the ground sighed again. "I'm going on a date."

Might as well rip off that bandage as fast as possible.

"What?" Yang exploded.

Ruby expected a lecture, a complete denial, or even- if the worst came- Yang forcing her to stay back. She didn't picture her protective sister squealing in excitement, wrapping her small frame in a massive hug as Yang twirled Ruby around. "Oh," Yang cooed, completely missing her sister's pleas for air. "I can't believe it- you actually found someone!"

"Yang, let go. You're wrinkling her outfit." Leave it to Weiss to care about her fashion sense than her partner, but the heiress still smiled at the sisters' antics.

Or maybe, Weiss said that as a quicker way to let Ruby breathe since Yang loosened her grip. Ruby gasped for breath, sitting in a nearby chair while Yang continued to fuss over her younger sister. Ruby battled away Yang's attempts to fix her hair as Weiss and Blake sat back, watching the two with amused expressions. "Very nice outfit," Blake commented from her bed. "Really brings out her colors."

"Thank you," Weiss accepted while she examined her own work. "It could've used a headband to tie back the hair, but-."

"Ruby ran off?"

"Exactly." The two girls shared a laugh at Ruby's expense who continued to argue with her sister.

Yang had to know. "Who are you going out with?" Finally, she gave in to the fact that Ruby looked ready for her big day, but it didn't mean she was satisfied with the lack of answers. "Is it someone we know? That guy you were talking to in Port's class?"

"We're working on a project," Ruby blanked. "That's literally it."

"Jaune?"

"No." There was a hint of venom in Ruby's voice, and Yang immediately avoided that lane of topic.

"Who is it then?" Yang implored.

"It's Ash!" Ruby threw her hands up in frustration.

Yang blinked. "Ash from the ball? I thought I chased him off." She winced just a bit, shooting her sister an apologetic look.

"You did, and I'm still mad about that." The lack of conviction didn't back up Ruby's words, nor did the forgiving smile. "He told me yesterday."

"What are you guys doing?"

And the interrogation went on for too long, with Ruby growing more and more annoyed with each question and Yang only pressing question after question. Minutes passed, and Yang kept the questions coming. "Can I please just go?" Ruby begged with her leg bouncing, her eyes shooting up at the clock every few seconds.

"When are you coming back?"

"Yang!"

Yang sighed as she sat back. "Just be safe," she warned. "Don't-."

"Yang," Ruby sighed with a roll of her eyes. "We went to the same assemblies in Signal. I know all about that stuff."

The blonde's cheeks heated a bit- maybe she was being a bit too oppressive of her sister. "You can go, then."

Ruby leaped out of her chair, giving her sister a one-second hug before she sprinted out of the room. "Byeguys!" she slurred, too excited to form real words.

"Be back by eleven!" Yang yelled after the red petals, not knowing if Ruby heard her or not. She stared after her sister's trail, having a silent debate with herself as her teammates watched. After a few moments, Yang turned towards the other girls, only to receive knowing looks- mixed with a hint of disapproval.

"You are not chasing after her," Weiss commanded.

"What?" Yang drawled, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "Why would you think-?"

"It's your sister, on a date with a guy you haven't met properly," Blake explained like it was common knowledge. Which, for the three of them, it was. "There is almost no other thought that would go through your head."

Yang blew out a huff of air, slumping back in her seat. Now all they could do was wait.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

" _You're way too nervous_."

"Well, she is fifteen minutes late."

" _Too nervous_."

Farayan sighed internally- if only he could punch that annoying voice in his head. "Ash, please," he exasperated. "You're really not helping."

" _Fine, fine._ " He could feel the psychotic voice recede from his mind as Ash decided to sit back and watch. " _Go do whatever human teens do._ _Actually, what do they do?_ "

Really, was he having this conversation right now? "You studied the students at Beacon," Farayan remarked. "Shouldn't you be an expert of something now?"

" _Careful with that tone,_ " Ash warned with a playful tone. " _I might just- incoming._ "

Farayan looked at what interrupted his voice's train of thought. And his jaw dropped. The girl in front of him- he barely recognized her if not for the mop of black hair. " _And the silver eyes,_ " Ash sang in his mind.

"Ruby," Farayan exclaimed while he promptly ignored the quip. "You… uh…"

"I'm sorry!" Ruby gasped. She was bent backward, hands on her hips as she took deep breaths to refill her expended lungs. "My sister held me up," she huffed out. "And I couldn't find an airship for forever."

It took a moment for Farayan to respond, his brain shutting down and slowly rebooting. "It- it's fine," he stammered. "Ruby… um, you look…"

"Tired?"

"No, you look… really pretty. You didn't- you never wore anything besides that hood all the time."

Ruby's face was already red from sprinting, and it deepened to a crimson as she giggled. "Thanks?" She gave her outfit a quick twirl. "My friend helped me pick this out."

Farayan laughed in disbelief. "She did a really great job, then." He could barely form sentences. A silver shirt that brought out her eyes, lust-red pants and a black jacket transformed her… eccentric look into a regular teenager's. With her hair pushed aside, the tomboyish look was put aside for a rather pretty girl. "You look great."

Finally catching her breath, Ruby was still left with a red face- not from running, though. Despite that, she laughed as she strolled up, hands behind her back. "So," she quipped. "You ready to go?"

He really couldn't help it- Ash burst out laughing in Farayan's mind. " _You really are- what's the phrase? Head over heels? This is going to be more fun than I imagined._ "

 **AN: I'm so sorry this took so long. I hate like 2/3s of this done around August 16, and I just… I'm sorry. It feels a bit weird to write about dates- I think this is exactly how I dragged my feet for Wilting Rose. So I'll apologize again.**

 **Anyway, thank you, everyone, for sticking with this story. Also, I'll apologize for another thing. I totally forgot that I put up a poll for Ruby and Farayan's relationship like 4 months back. The sibling-love was supposed to be the winner, with close friends in second. And. I did this. So, whoops.**

 **As for the date, I'm going to hate writing this. Never been on one- honest confession. So I have no idea what's good or bad. If you guys have any tips on writing it (or I dunno, actually having one), I'd be happy to listen.**

 **So that's the end of that chapter. Hope you enjoyed. I'll give myself a strict deadline next chapter and see how that works. September 16. Maybe September 15 if I'm lucky. I'll see you guys again then.**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	22. Chapter 22: Little Red Drink

**AN: Sorry this took so long- life happens and… you get it, right? Slightly longer, important AN at the end of the chapter, too. So please read it before you get angry at me.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or am associated with RT besides taking their ideas.**

Chapter 22: Little Red Drink

Butterflies were alive and fluttering around- not in the air, though. They lived in Ruby's stomach as she walked alongside Ash, the girl fiddling with her jacket as she tried to find something to say. It killed her to not find anything to say, a silence descending upon them that she desperately wanted to fill. "What movie were we watching?" Ruby finally asked.

Knocked out of his thoughts, Ash gave a small start as he turned towards the high-pitched voice. "The movie?" he echoed. "Didn't we agree that we were watching that new horror movie?"

A wave of red flushed Ruby's cheeks as she tucked a strand of hair out of its place, letting it fall in between their faces. "Oh," she remembered. "Right."

Ash frowned at Ruby's closed-off nature, taking it for something other than… well… "Do you not want to go?" he asked nervously. "We could always skip the movie if you're not a fan of scary stuff."

And again, spoken words were taken the wrong way. "What do you mean by that?" Ruby demanded, puffing out her cheeks with narrowed eyes.

"I mean, if you didn't like scary movies, you could've said-."

"I'm a Huntress," Ruby interjected with almost an offended look. "I'm supposed to be fine with scary things."

"Really?" Now, _this_ was something Ash had to see as he stopped walking, turning to fully face Ruby with a smug smile. An indignant Ruby- now that was a sight he hadn't seen for a while. "You sure you won't be scared? I mean, there's going to be _blood_ and a _killer_ in it…" Ash tried as hard as he could to contain the laughs as Ruby's eyes narrowed further.

"Where are the tickets?" Ruby demanded in a quick puff of breath. Hands shaking from held-back laughter, Ash pulled them out of his black coat, and an instant later Ruby snatched them away, walking away. Ash merely laughed as he hobbled after her, hands clutching his sides while he tried not to fall over from laughter.

For the next minute, Ruby stared straight ahead at the sidewalk, illuminated by familiar streetlights and an even more familiar sun that fell further behind the horizon. Every time Ash made up the distance between them, he would have to fall behind yet again. "Too scary," Ruby muttered whenever he was in earshot. "I'm a Huntress- I don't get scared of anything."

"Ruby." The girl in question spun on her heel, staring at the boy who dared to stop her. "You do realize we're not going to the movies quite yet, right?" Ash reminded.

It took a moment for Ruby's brain to process his words. Then, the heat flooded back into her cheeks as she let out a soft "Oh". "Well, where are we going first?" she had to ask.

"Dinner?"

And it was then that Ruby's stomach decided it was a swell idea to imitate the horns of a ship. In her defense, it was rather late, and she hadn't exactly had a good lunch due to worrying over this little outing. And Ruby scowled whenever Ash kept bringing it up, pushing him closer to the curb every time. However, it did little to distract him from the girl's very bright, red face.

And Ash? Ash's sides continuously hurt through the short walk.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Off to the side of town, a park rose between the pale and white buildings, a deep and healthy green in the middle of an otherwise bland block. Even with the dozen or so trees lining the edges and the playground in the corner- with a single slide and swings-, the area was mostly deserted. A small band of kids hung around the playground, but that was it. The buildings were either foreclosed or empty, too far away from the city life to build a manageable business or new apartment; too close to the city to house a family. So, they stood there like towers on a castle, casting a shadow on the green treasure it hid between them.

It was a beautiful sight- how something so civilized could be so barren at the same time. There was just one question on Ruby's mind. "Why are we here?" Ruby asked. "There's not a restaurant anywhere near here."

"Who says we're going to a restaurant?" Ash asked, a smug smile dancing on his lips.

"You made our food?" Ruby said in amazement. "I didn't know you could cook."

With a boisterous voice and a puffed-out chest, Ash said with confidence: "I absolutely can't. Most of the stuff's just from the cafeteria."

Ruby rolled her eyes at the confident tone, used to deliver something Ash should not have been proud of. "So you can't cook."

"Not unless you want charcoal."

She was slightly disappointed; it was a long time since Ruby had a homemade meal, mostly eating a mix between snacks and the plain cafeteria food with her friends. Still, with the unconventional, plastic picnic "basket" and a heavy wool blanket set on top, Ruby was still touched by the thought put into it. "What'd you get?" she had to ask.

"I… really don't know." Ash walked over with Ruby close behind, hovering over him as he dug out a couple of containers of various food. "Some sandwiches, a salad, and… I think this is a meatloaf?" He handed one of the plastic boxes to Ruby while he continued digging.

Slightly miffed, Ruby dropped the mystery meal on the grass and took the blanket to unfold. "You don't even know what you grabbed," Ruby stated.

"Sort of?" Not exactly a ringing endorsement, or even a ringing tone to try and convince Ruby. And she sat back, waiting for Ash to take out the rest of the small packages. And last of all…

"What is that?"

"These," Ash responded as glass clinked in his hand. "I actually know what they are." Ash lightly shook the package of bottles as he padded over. "These are a favorite."

Her curiosity getting the best of her, Ruby sat up on her knees as Ash set the six-pack in between them. "What are they?"

"Shandy," Ash answered as he freed one of the bottles, popping the cap off with a bottle opener found buried in the picnic basket. The vivid red liquid swirled in the glasses, spots of darker bits floating through it like a strawberry drink. Ash raised the bottle to his lips, drinking a good third of the bottle before he gasped for breath. A small shudder ran down his back as he sighed in pleasure. "Want one?"

With a nod, Ruby pulled out a Shandy for herself, albeit still hesitating while Ash handed her the plain bottle opener. Ruby went through the same motions- popping the top off and tipping the glass to her mouth. But as soon as the first droplets hit her tongue, the sourness and metallic taste completely blindsided her. Those same droplets flew from her mouth onto the blanket below, spraying the wool- and Ash who was unfortunately in the crossfire- in a spittle of red and… well, spit.

"Ruby!" Ash yelled, hopping back as best he could while sitting down.

The girl in question clawed at her tongue, scratching off any taste buds that still contained that abnormal taste. "What was that?" Ruby said with her tongue out. It came out more as, "Wha' wath thath?" Though Ash still knew what she was saying.

Unfortunately, Ash forgot to pack one critical thing- napkins. So he had to wipe off his gray shirt with the blanket, scowling all the while. "Why'd you spit all over me?" he called out.

"Because that was… ew!" The taste still lingered on Ruby's tongue, though she was no longer scratching at it. "What was that?"

"Shandy?" Ash replied without hesitation. "Great," he mumbled, glancing at the stains in his clothes. "That's going to be sticky."

Still without answers, Ruby glanced at the label on the glass bottle in her hand. It came from some company in Mistral, she read, with something about a "virgin drink" and-. "You did not just give me alcohol," Ruby deadpanned, turning back to Ash. "Is that why it tasted like a nail?"

Ash shook his head. "I can promise you, that's not alcohol."

Ruby narrowed her eyes- Ash sounded sincere, but it almost sounded like sadness at the end of his voice. "Spiked?"

"No. It's the version without any alcohol."

Another whiff of the bottle and Ruby could tell it wasn't alcohol. Probably. It smelled too sweet for it- at least, she hoped it did. "You sure?"

Ash snorted: "If it is, I'd already be dead. I've been on that stuff for two years, two bottles per meal, and it hasn't killed me yet." Bold claim? Sure, but it still took away some of the doubt Ruby had for it.

It didn't mean she had to like the drink. Ruby's apprehensive look didn't change, and Ash sighed. He gave her bottle a lazy gesture, edging on, "It's better going down than keeping it in your mouth."

But if she had to go through a few extra hurdles to enjoy the drink, was it really worth it, Ruby wondered? Another tentative sip, and another wince as she puckered through the iron in her mouth. But as it went down her throat and fell into her stomach, a small fire rose.

Like a sugar high, only it gave Ruby almost like an empty feeling along with a pleasurable heat. This… Shandy, Ruby thought as she pulled the bottle back and stared at it. Now, _this_ she could get addicted to. The warm, fuzzy dryness along with the refreshing feeling as the drink went down her throat- she could kiss Ash for introducing her to this new ambrosia. "What'd you think?" Ash asked. He couldn't tell if that expression Ruby had was of amazement or horror.

His question was answered as Ruby took another swig. A swig that drained the drink nearly the same way Ash had. Ruby let out a small squeal of delight as she held the bottle close. "Where did you get these?" she asked, staring down Ash with pleading eyes.

"A… a friend of mine," Ash replied, astonished. "Neo gave me some, and they just stuck."

Ruby licked her lips to get most of the flavor as possible and immediately winced- it felt better in her stomach than on her tongue. "Tell her thanks," Ruby quipped, tipping the glass back one more time. She took greedy gulps of the red as Ash stared at her with an incredulous expression. "What?" Ruby gasped when she finally was aware of his gaze. "Is there something wrong?"

Ash shook his head- at the question and to clear his mind. "No, no," Ash lied, his voice a few octaves too high.

"Ash…" Ruby's eyes narrowed. Lies were easier to spot once she had experience with a few.

"You, um..." Ash smacked his lips, his face paling while he tried to look at anything, everything, but her.

"Ash."

The boy in question didn't say any more, merely making a brushing motion under his nose. Confused, Ruby used a finger to brush under her own nose: red. Sweet-smelling red. Now with a light blush, Ruby used her black sleeve to wipe away her crimson mustache. "Shut up," she muttered, noticing the boy's lips turning upwards.

"What?" Ash feigned innocence. Thankfully Ruby had nothing to throw. Besides the bottle, anyway, and no way she was throwing that at someone- no matter how annoying they could be. So, she resorted to socking Ash in the arm, who winced and rubbed his sore spot but still laughed despite the pang of pain.

Ruby scowled, good-natured, "You're a jerk." She pushed Ash again when the boy responded with another laugh. She went to take another sip and found herself drinking air. Ruby set the empty bottle down, looking at it with a smidge of sadness before realizing there was an entire pack for her to chug through. Ruby popped off another cap as she took smaller sips this time. Trying to enjoy it for as long as possible.

This shandy was extremely addictive.

"Don't drink through it all," Ash warned, which he received an annoyed look from his friend. "I want to save a few for the movie."

That got a bit of a start out of Ruby. "We're sneaking stuff in?"

Ash snorted. "Are you kidding- do you know how expensive everything is in a theater?" And he launched into a long, heated rant of how theaters were so much nicer when he was younger, sounding more like a fifty-year-old instead of a fifteen-year-old.

As for Ruby, she just laughed. Part of her mind was on Ash's passion for how unfair prices were, and part fell on the various foods sprawled around them. Absentmindedly tossing bits of popcorn and taking bites out of sandwiches as she listened to Ash's words. It was a familiar feeling, like how Farayan acted when-.

And there went her mood. The girl in red took a much-needed sip from her shandy, but the metallic, sweet drink did little to alleviate the bittersweet memories. "Ruby?" Not noticing she ducked her head, a heavy frown on her face, she looked back up at Ash's concerned expression. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Ruby lied. She tried to smile, her lips curving upward. Unconvincing: it was too uneven, too strained to reach her eyes. When Ash's expression remained the same, she sighed. Her head ducked down again while her fingers played with the blanket under them inching to the nearby grass to distract her torn mind. "You just… remind me of someone."

"Of me?"

Ruby laughed, but it only lasted for a moment. "Yeah, but someone else. When you talked about movies and prices."

"You're thinking of Farayan, aren't you?"

Ruby's head snapped up, startling the boy in front of her so much he scrambled back a bit. "How do you know him?" she demanded.

Ash held his hands up, looking smaller than the imposing Ruby leaning forward that demanded answers. "That was probably the only person you'd be upset over," he reasoned.

While the reason was there, the girl was still suspicious and narrowed her eyes. "How do you know him, though?" The only ones who knew his name were Ruby's closest friends. And Ozpin.

And the students that spread the rumors. Rumors couldn't have spread that far, all the way to Signal, right?

If they did, her life back at home was also ruined.

"Your… classmates," Ash finally spoke. "They warned me after I left the dance."

Ruby's blood chilled. "What did they say?" she asked in a quiet voice. Her lack of an explosion was more menacing than anything she could have ever done.

Well, unless she had her scythe on-hand.

"How you talked to yourself," Ash told truthfully. "They said you were insane or delusional or seduced, or all three by your captor." Too much information, Ash realized when a low growl grew from Ruby, her breaths faster and heavier with anger. "You aren't any of those, right?" Ash asked.

Ruby's eyes narrowed into angry slits.

"I-I mean," Ash stammered. "You were nice when we danced together, and you're the girl that fell in love with the weapons back in Signal. So, I don't really think they're right about Farayan and you… um… Anyway, I don't really believe them."

The anger dissipated, though a small sliver was left in Ruby's body, along with caution as she asked, "So you don't think I'm insane?"

Ash tilted his head in mock-consideration. "I mean, you're a fanatic for that scythe of yours, but I don't think- Hey!"

His answer was cut short as Ruby tackled Ash in a hug, her arms wrapping around his neck and head resting against his shoulder. Ash's eyes widened as he felt wet puddles permeate his shirt's shoulder. "Thank you," Ruby whispered, too delighted to say so much more she wanted to say.

Predictably overwhelmed, Ash had his hands still glued to his sides, stiff as the voice in his head. One that wanted to make so many remarks but stayed silent to see how this would play out. "You're, um…" Ash stammered out.

Smooth.

That thought grounded Ash just enough to function. But only 'just', as he patted Ruby's back with a hesitant hand. "No problem," he managed out.

Ruby clung on for another few seconds before separating, wiping her eyes with one hand as the other posted behind her, smiling as her mood finally swung in her favor. "Sorry," she said after a few moments. "You probably think I'm a mess or something."

"Tiny bit." Ash shrugged. "I can't imagine you going through something like that and being fine. I certainly wouldn't have." Not a lie, just… a heavily edited truth.

"Right." Ruby's eyes were shining with tear residue, but also shining with a newfound happiness as she smiled at her newest friend. "Thanks," she said sincerely. "You're one of the only people that tries to ignore that part."

Oh, the irony that stung Ash like a tranquilizer dart. Smiling, he raised his own glass in a toast. "Well," he laughed nervously. "Here's to a good night."

Ruby clinked the glasses together as she giggled. "And to a good movie," the girl joked. "Really, though. Which movie did you choose?"

"Oh, you know. Something the theater's replaying from like a decade ago. It shouldn't be that scary."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"T-too scary," Ruby stammered as she hugged her body tightly. The air was brisk as the pair walked out of the theater, still illuminated by brilliant light displays that could be seen easily from the next block. Nighttime air bit at their skin, reminding them of the autumn season.

However, that wasn't the main reason Ruby was shivering. "Why did you choose that movie?" Ruby shivered as images flashed in her mind- more like, they were permanently seared into her brain. She whipped her head to the side, glaring at the person that made her see those… those _things_.

Goosebumps formed against Ash's own arms while he shook his head at Ruby's question. "I don't know?" he answered.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" Ruby snapped. Her black coat didn't do a good enough job to keep her warm.

"They were playing old movies," Ash quickly defended. "And I kept hearing how that one was the best movie of its time-."

"So you decided to take a girl you just met to see it." Ruby deadpanned. "A horror movie."

Well, when she put it like that… "I didn't _just_ meet you," Ash chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. That did nothing to alleviate the glare Ruby was drilling into him. "It wasn't that bad," Ash tried again to defend his decision.

Ruby didn't have to say anything, just shoot a look that clearly meant, " _Really_?" "Did you _not_ see what popped out of that guy's chest?" Ruby retorted.

"It was only rated M…"

"Only? Only!" Ruby gave an angry shove with her shoulder, almost pushing Ash into the fountain right in front of the theater. "How'd you even get those tickets?" Ruby yelled.

Ash yelped, hopping on one foot before regaining his balance. "It was from a friend!"

"Weird kind of friends you have," Ruby mumbled.

Ash let out a laugh. A bitter, forced laugh that killed his mood. The corners of his eyes betrayed the smile faked on his lips, and he turned away from Ruby to hide it. "Yeah," Ash agreed. "Weird friends."

Muttering to herself, mainly about how dumb boys could be sometimes, Ruby took another swig of the bottle she hid under her coat. And yes, Ash somehow convinced a reluctant Ruby- the resident pure girl- to sneak in a few drinks. Oh, what a crime: the largest one Ruby had committed.

Ash had a long laugh at that, along with a new red handprint on the back of his head under his hair. The exact size of a _particular_ girl's petite hand.

"I mean," Ruby shuddered. Ash was pulled out of his stupor and refocused on Ruby's voice. "You have to warn someone before they're thrown into that movie."

"You mean, like a rating system?"

Ruby turned on her friend, finger poking into his chest in a Weiss-like manner, complete with her narrowed eyes and annoyed look usually reserved for Ruby. "You told me nothing about it," she reminded. "I," she emphasized her words with another finger-jab. "Trusted. You."

"That was your first mistake."

Ruby huffed and threw her hands up in surrender, unable to make any progress with Ash who merely laughed at her antics. She left him behind for Ash to catch up, trying not to focus on, hypothetically, if one of those hideous aliens could jump out of the streets, without warning, desperately trying not to think about that ominous chill down her spine or-.

Ruby groaned; nope, those thoughts were going to plague her for the rest of the night. Her eyes darted around the deserted street, illuminated by streetlights that cast lights on everything but the most ominous alleys and the gaps where anything could be lurking-.

Ash watched as the poor girl screamed quietly, concern growing as she clasped her head with her arms tightly, mumbling under her breath. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"No," Ruby murmured. "You made me watch that movie."

"Oh, come on." An arm draped around Ruby's shoulders in comfort, but also teasingly. "You can't tell me it was too scary for you."

"I actually hate you right now." The sound of another cap being popped off drew Ruby's attention off the sidewalk slabs and back to Ash, who's hand was offering her another drink. Her third of the night. Quipping a quick thanks, Ruby gingerly held onto the glass's base, tipping it into her mouth as Ash readjusted the jacket hanging precariously off her shoulders. "Where _did_ you get this?" Ruby asked when she came up for air. The question had been hanging in her mind ever since her first sip.

"Mistral makes some nicer ones," Ash answered simply. "I had to order the bottles from them."

Ruby moaned in pleasure, hugging the sweet, sweet drink like it was her bloodline. And she almost spilled all of it when Ash gave her a small push forward, laughing at Ruby's enjoyment. "Come on- I have to take you back to Beacon."

An eyebrow raised, Ruby turned to the black-haired boy with a question on her lips. "Why?"

"You don't think Yang's going to want to question me?"

"Good point." And so began the dread of returning to Ruby's sister. There was an equal chance of Ash being punched or intimidated to running off again as there was Yang embracing him as Ruby's future boyfriend.

It was hard to tell which was worse. On one hand: endless teasing and embarrassment with someone Ruby wanted to be with. On the other, a plethora of hurdles and obstacles Ash would have to jump through to receive Yang's approval.

"What are you thinking about?" Ash's voice pulled Ruby out of her thoughts yet again. No concern or demands in his voice, just a vague curiosity Ash spoke with, casting a lazy glance in her direction.

"What Yang's going to do," Ruby admitted. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Ash shrugged, but he still had a healthy dose of "Fear of Yang", as most did these days whenever they tried to speak to her little sister. "It's worse if I don't go at all."

"Your funeral."

The air felt like it dropped a few degrees, going from a chilly breeze to a winter day that nipped at Ash's skin. "What does that mean?" he rushed out. Ruby merely walked on, leaving Ash standing there as Ruby waved her drink tauntingly. No doubt her shoulders were shaking from hidden laughs. "What does that mean?" Ash asked again, desperate as he ran to catch up.

Ruby laughed.

"Ruby! What does that mean? Ruby!"

Sometimes, Silence was more fun than any joke.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

The moon was high in the air, shining bright and casting a white circle on the fountain water, stopped only when it reached the light barrier of the dorms still awake. The cool air brushed through the trees and bit at the air, forcing close the windows, but the girl at the fountain out front stood there. Unmoving besides an impatient boot thumping against the ground.

Yang blew out a breath of frustration. She pulled out her Scroll and checked the clock.

Half-past eleven.

Another growl escaped Yang. Putting away the Scroll, she stared ahead at the empty walkway, streetlights brightening it like a walkway on a tv show. And at the end, two teens stumbled forward. Well, one teen stumbled forward as the other hitched a ride on his back for most of the walk. As they drew nearer, a girl's laugh pierced the air while a boy cursed and complained, his words too quiet to decipher. Though, his tone sure wasn't.

Yang laughed; only one outing and Ruby was already opening up to the mystery boy. Ash looked up, finally noticing Yang's presence, and he turned to Ruby in a hushed whisper. Ruby giggled as she said something back, too low and too far away to hear clearly. The blonde could only pick up the last few words. "-small chance, but I think you'll be safe."

"That's reassuring," Ash dryly quipped. "Now get off- you're killing my back."

"Never!" Ruby laughed as she tightened her hold around Ash's neck. Her words were longer than usual, and her eyelids drooped like curtains.

The boy coughed at the sudden pressure, using more energy every time he needed to breathe. "I will drop you," Ash threatened.

"…Fine."

Yang let out an audible "Aww" at the pair of socially-unaware dunces. The pair that blushed and averted their gazes from the blonde. "Look at my little sister growing up," she teased.

"Yang," Ruby whined.

"Ruby," Yang mocked in the same tone. With the initial teasing out of the way, she turned to Ash with an intruding stare, like she was figuring out his entire character with one glance. Ash shifted on the spot, quashing the desire to run away with a gulp. "So," Yang finally said to him. "You're Ash, huh?"

"Hello, Yang," Ash said in a small voice. And the other small voice in his head berated him, scoffing at the thought of being afraid of the violent blonde.

"Where'd you take my sis'?" Yang inquired. In all honesty, less as "inquired" and more as "interrogated."

"Just dinner and a movie."

"What kind of movie?"

"Horror."

Now that threw Yang out for a loop. "Wait." Yang held up a finger, eyebrow cocked in either interest or confusion- Ash couldn't tell. "You took Ruby out for a horror movie for a first date? Do you know anything about Ruby- or dates for that matter?"

An annoyed, tired "Hey!" escaped Ruby, but Yang's attention focused on Ash ignored it- also because she really liked to tease her sister. "It's not a date," Ash denied with a blush. "We just met- we're barely even friends right now."

"Right, just friends." Ruby slurred. Though, there was a tone underneath her relief that Ash couldn't quite put a finger on…

Yang's eyes flickered between the two, watching the mix of emotions cycle through Ruby's face and the confused one ruffle Ash's features. "Wow," she breathed. "You two are clueless."

"What?" The pair replied, one still confused and one snapping out of her musings.

"Nothing," Yang sang. "Now," she turned to Ruby, "How'd he convince you to go to a horror movie? You hate those."

"I don't hate them," Ruby denied, trying a pout but was denied an indignant look as a yawn stretched her mouth wide open. "They're just… not interesting or cool enough."

"You're scared of them."

"Am not!"

"You got startled when Blake threw you a textbook."

"Have you seen the size of those things? You could make a weapon out of them."

Sensing his time to go, Ash backed away a few steps, letting the sisters argue. "I'll just… leave now. I had a nice night with you, Ruby."

"Wait!" Ruby suddenly exclaimed. All attention was now focused on her as Ruby walked towards Ash, one hand outstretched, palm face-up. "Gimme," she demanded with a smile.

"What?"

"The last one."

A sigh escaped Ash as he reached in his jacket. "I'm really regretting introducing you to my drink."

"Well, it's my drink now," Ruby quipped as Ash pulled out the red neck of a bottle. She snatched it while it was still partially in his coat, ready to pop off the top in a moment's notice.

"Hold it," Yang's voice rose to a dangerous level. In a quick swipe, the bottle was jerked out of Ruby's hands as Yang studied the bottle. "What is this?"

"It's shandy," Ruby giggled. "It's really good."

All sorts of warnings were set off in Yang's mind: Ruby's almost tipsy nature, her brash actions, the name "shandy", Ash's vague introduction. "You got her drunk," Yang accused. The bottle was dangerously close to shattering in her hand. "You got Ruby drunk."

"No," Ash rushed out, eyes wide in fear. "That's not alcohol."

"It's shandy."

"It doesn't have the alcohol. If it did have it, I'd be dead a couple of years ago." Ash had to face the intense stare of Yang as he tried to think of anything to help his case. "Here." And without warning, Ash took the drink back, popped off the cap, and drank. And kept drinking until the red completely vanished.

Impressive? Possibly, but Yang was still wondering what this had anything to do with proving Ash's innocence and preserving Ruby's innocence. Ruby was just saddened, as the last drink was gone. With a shudder, Ash gasped for air as the last drop was down his throat. "Ruby's had three, and I've had three of these," Ash said, shaking the bottle. "If we're both not hungover tomorrow, it's not alcohol."

With their small figures and inexperience with alcohol, Yang really couldn't deny it made sense, but it was still reckless as all hell. And she was a very familiar with reckless behavior. "Fine," she conceded, still glaring at the boy. "But this doesn't excuse anything you did to Ruby."

Ash rolled his eyes. "I just took her to a movie and dinner," he scoffed. "I don't really think I need an excuse for that."

There wasn't much else to say as Yang was done with the boy, waving him away as she grabbed Ruby's hand. "We'll see. Come on, Ruby."

Ruby sighed- this was about how she expected this whole thing to go down. Over her shoulder, she gave one last smile, one last wave goodbye for the night. "Bye," she mouthed.

Ash had to hold back a brief laugh- typical of Ruby, trying to make everything better when the dust cleared. He waved back, mouthing the same words. The smile on her lips broadened, and she turned back when Yang gave a small tug, noticing the two interact.

And she laughed audibly at the two, saying something to Ruby that made her blush.

A Scroll rang, playing a loud bell that rang in the empty night. Yet, it took Ash a few seconds to react, wrapped up in his euphoria before answering. "Hello?"

"How'd it go, Lady's Man?"

The voice in his head smiled, pushing at the man at Ash's reigns. " _That's my cue,_ " Ash voiced in his mind. The Grimm Ash. And Farayan gladly gave his control back to the rightful owner: the insane could talk to each other, and he'd rather not get in the way. "Hey, Roman," Ash sang. "You doin' good in your dump?"

"Ha, ha." The sarcasm in Roman's voice was thick enough to smoke like one of his cigars. "So, how did it go?"

"It was _fantastic_ ," Ash giggled like a schoolgirl. "Ruby's fallen in love."

"Already?" Roman laughed on the line. "Well, mazeltov. Neo's also sending her congratulations."

"Well, tell her 'thanks'," Ash laughed as well. "It was all her."

"Literally all you, my friend. My psychotic, genius friend. Neo's just happy to help."

At least those two were in a good mood. Farayan curled in the back of his mind, his heart heavy with half-truths.

" _Sorry, Ruby._ "

 **AN: This was way longer than I intended. Curse me and my wild imagination.**

 **And that's the chapter. Hello, it's Fireflame again. And I've got good news and bad news.**

 **Bad news first: I'm going on a break.**

 **Yes, I know I've been really inconsistent with my "twice a month" schedule, and I had to reduce it to once a month a few times, just because the years right before college are… dumb. Just really, really dumb and tedious. Not to mention piano season which is starting in a week or two. So I'm taking October off. I'll try and come back with 2 chapters, maybe 3 for November, but I honestly can't say if I'll have the time. So I'm apologizing now before I go silent again.**

 **Anyways, I said there's good news, and there is.**

 **We're getting to the fun portion. The portion of the story that I've been wanting to write for the past 6 months. The setup, the amount of hints that I've already dropped- seriously, it's going to be a spectacle. And that's also why I wanted to take next month off- so I can make sure it's completely up-to-standards to my liking.**

 **Now that that's out of the way, how 'bout that chapter, huh? Don't worry, Ruby's not drunk, and Ash didn't slip in any illegal substance. I checked. I'm just having a little fun before I break a few hearts.**

 **Oh, right. There's some other good news.**

 **I decided on the next story I'm writing. And I'll be honest, it's gonna be a freaking nightmare and a half to write. My desktop notes completely cover my screen, and the notes on my phone are way too long, and I'm just thinking of more and more ideas. No, it's not the Weiss-thing I said I would do; I scrapped it because it went nowhere I wanted it to go, and I had no idea how to redeem it. It's going to be another opportunity to break people, but so much more expansive.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you're reading this, thanks for sticking with the story.**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	23. Chapter 23: For Her Sake

**AN: Somewhere in this chapter is my 100,000** **th** **word. That's around 300,000 words I've written for this community, and I plan to do so much more. So I hope you enjoy the chapter because this was a fun one.**

 **Also, something I should note: There's a little event a few of you might know as NaNoWriMo. Others know it as National Novel Writing Month. I, however, know it as "the challenge that will ruin my November as I'm already behind on around 2000 words". Oh, I'm doing it, so expect a few more chapters coming out the next few months. With that said, I'll see you all at the end of the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY and make no money off this.**

Chapter 23: For Her Sake

Two months. That was all it took to drive Weiss up a wall.

Two months and Ruby became unbearable to live with.

Right now, all the heiress wanted was a bit of peace and quiet as she tried to finish this one last essay for Professor Oobleck. Her eyes skimmed the most recent paragraph again, finding a way to make the next one flow with it. A pen jittered and twirled idly, a second-habit Weiss had grown accustomed to. General Corvus, Weiss read, was the Atlesian leader that finally pushed for a treaty in the last years of the Great War, creating-

 _Sluuurrp._ Weiss almost crushed the pen in her hand, but thankfully she refrained from destroying her own property. Instead, she slammed her hands on the table, whipping her head around at the noise. Remorse was voided from her glare. "Will you stop?" she hissed at her partner.

Ruby stopped, halfway through her attempt to suck up the last of her drink. Her cheeks were still puckered as she stared at Weiss, wide-eyed from her comfy place on her bed. "Thank you," Weiss snapped. "Now, will do your work as you promised?"

"But-" Ruby began to protest.

"No, you agreed to this. And I am now holding you to it. Now start."

With a sigh and a mumble, Ruby gently tossed her drink down to the nightstand, right next to the carton of strawberry milk. At the sight, Weiss couldn't help but wrinkle her nose, shifting a tad bit away from it. Ruby's obsession with milk had gone from a regular quirk to an addiction. Perhaps it was like a comfort food to her, but that held no reason for Weiss to like it.

Especially since she knew the milk had been out for a full hour or so.

And yet, Ruby still somehow said the pink drink was "too sweet" and "not bitter enough". Honestly, five months living with her partner, and Weiss was still as confused with Ruby's habits as she was Day One.

Though, at least Ruby was more diligent. Despite hating the subject, Weiss watched as the girl's red hood fell over her head, tipped down over a textbook. Pages flipped back and forth as Ruby tried to find… something. "Hey, Weiss?" she shouted across the room.

"Yes?"

"Who was General Corvus again?"

The muscle under Weiss's eye twitched, unperceivable to Ruby's bowed eyes. Somehow, hard-working and diligent, Ruby was still hopeless when it came to history. "The one who advocated for the first peace treaty." Weiss deadpanned. "The treaty Professor Oobleck talked about all of our last lecture?"

"Gotcha." And the page turning resumed, punctuated with occasional mumblings from the bed's occupant. Weiss sighed as she turned back to her own work, focusing on the words under her fingers. Where was she again? Corvus created the foundation for the first treaty, initially rejected by… by…

Weiss muffled the exasperated yell that tried to escape her. No, she couldn't work anymore. Her mind was wandering, focusing and unfocusing on idle thoughts that milled in her brain. She pushed away from the desk, leaning back as she controlled her breathing. Maybe Weiss was too focused for too long- perhaps she needed a break and find out where her mind wanted to go.

And she picked one of those idle thoughts to focus on, plucking it out of its hazy nature and into her mind's spotlight. Ruby and her "unofficial" boyfriend. Of course, that was the first thing her mind settled on. For two months, Ruby had a strange fascination with her newest friend. Despite literally meeting for no more than a few hours, Ruby acted closer to Ash than most of the other students.

Actually, that wasn't strange- Ruby tried to stay away from anyone that wasn't her immediate friend. But it didn't explain her attachment to a relatively new friend. Even Velvet commented on how often she would see Ruby and Ash in Vale, strolling a bit too close to just be considered a "friend".

Even Ruby's habits started to shift. Her Scroll was now a permanent fixture to her outfit. Twice a day, every day, Ruby would spend a copious amount of time chatting with her friend, giggling as she typed away like a regular teenage girl. It was endearing- watching Ruby fall back into a pattern of normalcy.

Yet, Weiss couldn't shake off the feeling that there was a bit of an infatuation going on.

A quick, little trill interrupted Weiss's thoughts as she spun her head around. Ruby perked up as she abandoned the textbook, glancing at the Scroll beside her. She giggled and clicked away on her Scroll, sending a message back at the receiver. "Ruby," Weiss warned.

"Weiss," Ruby whined back. She stared back at Weiss's insistent eyes with her own puppy-dog expression. Normally, that would have worked, but Weiss nodded at the papers Ruby put off for days. "Fine," Ruby relented, sending one last message before tossing her Scroll across the bed.

Weiss stared at the Scroll for a second longer. Probably Ash, she thought. That Scroll- the person especially- was so much of a distraction. A plot started to form in the heiress's head; a conversation to try and dissuade Ruby's addiction was being scripted in her mind.

Wait. Weiss stopped and frowned. Why was she so against Ash? He might've been a distraction, but he brought the best out of Ruby. At least, he brought out the Old Ruby- her happy, bubbly leader that acted like she had too much energy to spend in just one day. In the two months, Ruby kept him away from the team: her reason being a simple word.

Yang.

And the heiress couldn't fault her partner's hesitance. Yang was a… loose cannon, to say the least. And with her sister, the blonde's normally blasé nature now had a hawk's eye, more perceptive than any of Blake's senses. And the protective-sister mentality along with Yang's fighting prowess…

Weiss shuddered. No wonder Ruby never took him anywhere near Beacon- well, nowhere near Yang in particular. Weiss had the chance to meet him a few times when she and Ruby went to the city together.

Ash was… eccentric. Not as bold as, say, Yang, but he was still comfortable with jumping at Ruby with a surprise hug. And after Ruby realized who it was, she laughed as Ash spun her around, almost kicking Weiss with her flying feet.

But the boldness didn't translate to openness or speech, as was evident when Ruby introduced her friend to Weiss. The slight stutter in his words and the limp handshake Weiss received- it reminded her first days as Ruby's partner. Because of how little they knew each other, Weiss could understand the shyness, but she didn't understand Ruby and Ash's relationship.

They acted like they were childhood friends, teasing and pushing each other whenever they were annoyed with one another. And Weiss acted as the third wheel as that day went on. She was miffed- Weiss was Ruby's partner, not Ash.

Others had the same treatment. Velvet was ignored when Ash walked over to Ruby with a smile, Blake was abandoned at the bookstore if Ash was present, and this was not just a one-time for either girl.

The question Weiss was asking herself now was: why was she so concerned? Ruby laughed louder and more often. Her smile seemed brighter, she didn't sulk around Beacon when she had something to look forward to. Rather, some _one_. When she was around Ash, it was a tenfold increase. It was almost like-

"Weiss?" Ruby's voice interrupted the heiress's thoughts. Weiss shook out of her stupor, eyes refocusing on the world around her before she turned to Ruby. "I can't find what year the treaty was signed," she wailed.

A sigh escaped the older teen- with how many habits Ruby switched through in less than a year, it was nice to see some stayed the same.

But maybe this wasn't one of the nicer ones.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Wind swept through the streets of Vale, chilling the afternoon with a cold nip at people's skin. As the days neared winter, gloves came on, and hats were jammed onto heads. The streets were still lively with people milling around shops- though, less and less wanted to brave the cold air.

Ruby was no exception. As she sat outside a café, her black jacket was zipped all the way up, hood snugly wrapping her head. A light red painted her cheeks as she stared at the shops around her, eyes darting as she tried to distract her. The distraction wasn't because of boredom, nor was the blush because of the cold.

"Ruby?" the boy across from her called out. "Are you listening?"

"Hmm?" Ruby turned back to try and focus on Ash's features, melting at the concerned look he shot her. "W-what?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "That's a no," he deadpanned. "This might help."

Ruby greedily watched as her friend pulled out a familiar red bottle, snatching it away the moment it was set on the table. "Thank you," she sang out, screwing off the top and inhaling it at an alarming rate. Half the drink was gone before she set it down with a satisfied sigh. "And you still won't tell me where you got this from," Ruby pouted.

"Nope," Ash popped. "It's probably for your own good."

"Please," Ruby drawled, lip quivering and eyes wide. If Ash had to guess, she practiced this look just to get whatever she wanted.

It hurt Ash, trying to resist her puppy-dog stare. But there was another voice in his head that didn't care whatsoever. "No."

A surprised look crossed Ruby's face before she frowned. So it _was_ practiced! "Fine," Ruby harrumphed. "But you're giving me more. Strawberry milk isn't as good."

"I thought you drank regular."

"It's not red."

Ash blinked for a few solid seconds. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's not red," Ruby repeated as if it explained everything.

How was he supposed to respond to that? "So-" Ash tried to change the subject.

"Where are we going today?" Ruby interrupted, fingers drumming against her glass. "I think we explored everything in Vale. Well, except for the festival, but that's not open for another week. Or we could-"

"Ruby." The girl stopped with her mouth still open, words wanting to escape the tip of her tongue. "I really need to say something," Ash interjected.

At his serious tone, Ruby sat back with her gloved hands in her lap, cradling her drink. "What is it?" she asked.

"I'm leaving for a while," Ash spoke, mouth suddenly dry at the sight of Ruby's concerned expression. "Maybe for a week or so, maybe for a month."

A shock ran through Ruby's body. "What? When?"

"Sometime tomorrow."

Ruby stared at her friend, mouth open in surprise. "But, why?" she questioned. "Is there something wrong?"

"Just going on a small mission," Ash reassured. "And visiting a few of my friends up north. It's nothing about me."

That concern went away, but Ruby was still staring at Ash like she'd been slapped. "Okay," she said in a small voice. "You're coming back though?"

"As soon as possible." Ash tried to smile at her, but Ruby ducked her head, cheeks heating up as she was unable to meet Ash's eyes. "I'll bring a gift back," he tried again. Still no clear change to Ruby's mood. Rolling his eyes, the boy leaned across the table and gave her forehead a small flick. Nothing hard, but enough to sting for a brief second.

"Hey," Ruby whined, rubbing her head as she glared gently at her "attacker."

Ash gave her a pointed look. "Cheer up," he intoned. "I'm not dead or anything. it's just a trip."

"I know," Ruby admitted, pulling her arms closer to herself as the day felt like it dropped a few degrees. "I just… you'll have your Scroll, right?"

"I'll try to message you every day," Ash promised with a roll of his eyes. Seriously, she was acting like he didn't want to see her ever again. "We still have the rest of the day to do… whatever you want to do."

A few seconds passed in silence while Ruby stared at the table. First a frown, then a smile found a home on her lips. Without warning, she hopped out of her seat and started to walk. "Ruby, what are you-?"

"What are we waiting for, then?" Ruby insisted. She pulled Ash out of his chair, hands wrapped around his forearm despite his protests. "It's the last time I'll see you for a week. And we're wasting time- come on!"

Her happiness was infectious, and Ash laughed as the girl dragged him along, eyes flicking between the stores with a great deal of mirth. She was right- one last day to do everything, so why not do everything?

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Night came too soon for Ruby. There was so much to do and so little time- they didn't have time to do everything else in town. But their bodies didn't reflect Ruby's unanswered wants. Her blood-red pants were wrinkling from the fountain-spray hours ago, and a new, flowery hat was tipping to the side of her head. Courtesy of Ash's money. In her hand, a bag filled books, games, and magazines swung by her side, and the other hand tipped the last of her shandy into her waiting tongue.

But the bulk was rested on Ash, with a bag dedicated for Ruby's mechanical side, another for her bored side, and one for the takeout food. A pink star plastered his cheek, the temporary tattoo already peeling off in the crisp air. And a stuffed corgi was under Ash's armpit, simply for the reason that Ruby would coo or squeal whenever she picked it up.

It was a relatively short night for Ruby, but for Ash, absolutely not. His arms ached with Ruby's new playthings, but he wasn't allowing that to ruin his night. No objection came when Ruby wanted to spend a ludicrous amount to win that stuffed animal from the crane machine. He nodded along when she dragged him into an unknown diner.

Ash was a sucker whenever that gleefully childish look sprang on Ruby's face.

"We didn't go to the Dust shop," Ruby moaned, remembering more shops that she could've visited. "Or the aquarium."

"I think," Ash grunted, shifting the bags, "we went to too many places in a night." Her "mechanical" bag was a struggle on its own- Ruby's sense of mechanics was limited to weapons, bullets, and more weapons.

Ruby turned around, a look of surprise widening her eyes. And she blushed from cheek to cheek as she noticed Ash struggling. "You should've let me help," Ruby admonished, reaching for her bag of weapon parts.

A sigh escaped Ash as half the weight was lifted from him. If those were only _parts_ of her weapon, Ash was almost fearful of how heavy the entire thing must be. He watched as Ruby skipped away, staring back at Ash as if to say: " _Keep up_ ".

Ash coughed out a laugh. He shook his head as he dragged himself forward, rolling the feeling back in his shoulders. "Like you really need anything else for the week," he joked.

"What?" Ruby asked with a tilt to her head.

"I think you're going to be busy enough for a month with the amount of stuff you bought."

"Well that's a relief," a third voice quipped. The two looked up and found Weiss glaring at them, arms crossed and her fingers drumming impatiently. Under her gaze, Ruby wilted with a nervous laugh. She flicked her gaze between the bags in her hands and her partner, leaning away from the latter. "It's not like Ruby has _anything_ else to do during that time."

Ruby swallowed the knot in her throat before she could speak. "H-hey, Weiss. I didn't know you were here."

"You rushed through your work." Weiss was having none of it, cutting through Ruby's deflections like they were paper.

"…And?"

"Half of it was wrong, the other half was barely explained."

Ruby sighed. Her cheeks puckered in embarrassment, and she scuffed the ground with her foot. The hesitation gave Ash enough time to catch up, hanging back a few steps when Weiss used her glare on him. "Maybe I'll leave," Ash said in a whisper, already stepping back from Weiss's glare.

"No," Weiss commanded. "You," she jabbed a finger at Ash, "and I are going to have a little talk about borrowing my partner. Ruby, go back to the dorm."

"But-" Ruby's voice died as Weiss focused back on her. Like a child under a scornful mother. And she did feel quite bad for leaving the girl alone for the afternoon- even if that afternoon was planned to do homework. She turned on her heels, giving Ash a soured smile. "Thanks for tonight," she said, both arms outstretched for her bags.

As per usual, Ash did whatever Ruby wanted and handed back the bags to their rightful owner. Including the dog under his arm which, he noted, even Weiss softened when she spotted it. "You were the one that made it fun," he replied with his own grin. "I'll see you in a few weeks."

Ruby nodded as she gave a sweeter smile. "See you." Before she walked back to the dorm, though, a thought crossed her mind. The petite girl bit the corner of her lip, eyes glued to the ground in consideration.

"Ruby?" The concern in Ash's voice was evident.

Why not? It was going to be a while until they'd see each other again. And there was no time like the present, in the cold moment with the people she felt warm with. Ruby leaned forward, eyes closed with her lips aimed at Ash's cheek. She didn't really care Weiss was watching or if her arms started to ache from the bags. Even if she couldn't see it, Ruby knew she was getting closer until-.

Two hands pushed her by the shoulders, stopping her advance. "Ruby, what are you doing?"

The hint of panic mixed with confusion, the way Ruby was pushed away, and the sudden drain of warmth Ruby felt in herself- she had to open her eyes. Ash was inches away, farther than where he was before. In actuality, he merely leaned away slightly, pushing Ruby a little away from himself. He donned a perplexed expression with his eyebrows knitted, his mouth forming a frown, and his hands were still keeping Ruby from leaning forward again.

It hurt.

Ruby stiffened like a board. Her arms felt heavy, knees weak from a sudden bout of heartache. "I-" What was she supposed to say, that it was a joke or a mistake? That she tripped. But she didn't want it to be a mistake- she wanted it to be real, not pretend. And it hurt, realizing that Ash's expression didn't match her own. It hurt to see Ash lean away like he didn't want her anymore. It hurt to feel like she was overreacting, yet all the signs pointed to the fact that she may be right.

And Ruby ran. As fast as her legs could hold her, blinking fast and hard while convincing herself it was the wind's fault her eyes were watering. That it was the cold's fault for making her feel numb and tired. Ruby stumbled and caught herself too many times as she transitioned from sidewalk to grass, sprinting for her bed to finally end the night.

"Ruby!" Her name called by a male and a female. But Ruby kept running, trying to focus on the clanging of the mechanic's bag instead of the one in her chest.

Weiss wanted to run after her partner, arm still outstretched for when she tried to stop Ruby. She stared at the running figure and watched as her bags flapped behind her. The heiress wanted nothing more than to make sure Ruby was okay.

Nothing more, except maybe know why she was so upset. A frost rose in Weiss's body as she whipped around, marching with her hands balled in fists. "What did you do?" Weiss growled. In Ash's luck, and Weiss's oversight, she didn't have her rapier by her side. "What the hell happened?" The heiress's voice rose a few dozen levels.

"I don't know!" Ash rushed out, stumbling away from the approaching storm. "I don't think I did anything." He winced at the excuse- way too weak. Even the second voice in his mind reassured him he wasn't mistaken.

Ash screwed up on levels he didn't think were possible.

"My partner," Weiss hissed, "is in tears, and you don't think you did _anything_?" Her slender finger jabbed into the boy's chest, digging a hole with her nail that, in Ash's eyes, could impale him if he said the wrong thing. "Why is Ruby like that?"

Speaking quickly was probably the best thing to do then. "She was fine in Vale," Ash rushed out. "That's the only time I saw her do that."

"Then what did you do now?"

"Nothing. I just pushed her away when she leaned towards me."

Weiss paused her tirade of questions for just a moment, wondering why on earth Ruby would do that. "Were her eyes closed?" Said like a statement, not a question.

"Yeah, so?"

Weiss had to pause again, wondering how dense a human being could be. "You," she started while she tried to control her voice and breathing. "You are the most clueless person I have ever met."

Ash blinked. "What?"

A hard shove threw the boy back a few steps before he stumbled over his feet, falling on the cold concrete sidewalk. "She likes you, you imbecile," Weiss shouted. "Why in the world would you think she wanted to lean into you?" She watched as confusion found a home in Ash's red eyes. Then a blankness as he thought about it, and then it turned into realization. "Dust, you are slow!" She swore at the sky.

"I didn't…" Ash stammered, "I don't… like her- in that way. Well, not really, but I thought-"

"You thought what?" Weiss snapped. "That you could play with her emotions or her trust? That you could blow her off?"

"I thought she was going to go slower!" Ash shot back. A tone so forceful, Weiss stopped her rant to stare down at the boy with a new expression. "I thought…" he tried again, a softer voice as he thought of the girl he'd just hurt, "I knew Ruby was lonelier than she let on, but it wasn't supposed to be like this. I just wanted to be her friend for a bit, you know? Get to know her and all that."

Weiss understood, but understanding didn't exactly help her problems. But before any demands could be made, Ash cursed, "Damn, that was a terrible end." Looking up at the heiress, "Could you talk to her? Say that I wasn't ready for that or something?"

A growl rumbled out of Weiss as she exhaled. "I'll see what I can do," she replied. "But you are doing something as well to make her like you again."

"Tomorrow I could-"

"No. Knowing her current mood, Ruby won't want to speak with you for at least a week. Let me talk to her, enough so she can stand your presence."

The boy nodded, sitting up straight as he rubbed his face with scuffed hands. "I feel horrible," he admitted. "Maybe I could give her a gift tomorrow?"

Despite how Weiss felt about Ash at the moment, she gave an almost imperceivable nod. "Good. Maybe you could be some use for her." Too angry to try and move, Weiss threw her head back, closing her eyes as she slowed her breathing. "You are not messing this up," she commanded after a minute.

"What?" Ash was still there, contemplating his mistake.

"You are not going to break Ruby whatsoever. Do you understand me? Because if you do," Weiss squatted on her heels, staring into Ash's soul through his eyes, "I will not hesitate to hunt you down."

Even the voice inside Ash shuddered at her tone. "Got it," the boy popped, eyes wide and alert. "Make sure Ruby stays happy. Can do."

Weiss nodded, her mouth a thin line of concealed emotions. "Alright. Then, goodnight." And the girl stood back up, spinning around and heading for the dorms. She still heard a deep breath of relief behind her. "I was serious about that threat," the heiress warned. "I have the resources to do so."

The conversation ended with her goodbye, but it didn't end their nights. Weiss had her hands full with concern when she thought about the distraught girl back at her home. Her sloppy work was the least of the heiress's concerns- or Ruby's for that matter. That could be put off for tomorrow. That night, Ruby was going to be in desperate need of comfort. Perhaps there was still some hot chocolate in the community fridge.

She sighed- sleep wasn't going to come easy that night.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Sleep didn't come easy for the boy either. In his little cot, the same abandoned warehouse that usually was full of activity- his shallow bed never made it easy for sleep. And the voices in his head, all screaming for relief or excitement; screaming for a chance to unveil what they really were. One voice was louder, so much louder than the rest that it sounded even while he was awake.

" _You have work to do_ ," It said. Ash sighed in defeat; the thing always got what it wanted, else he would be deprived of something. Sleep, alone-time, painless days.

Time with Ruby.

Everything was a deal with a devil. And this devil had no intention of letting his soul leave. " _You're doing it for Ruby_ ," it sang.

"I'm doing it for you," Ash growled back.

" _Fair enough. Still, it's not right for Ruby to suffer._ "

"Nor is making her your plaything."

" _She's a subject, not a plaything,_ " the voice corrected. " _Now hurry up- you're not making any of my plans easier._ "

"It can't go any faster," Ash reminded, taking the needle out of his arm. Like second habit, he placed it on the little box next to him, used as a nightstand. "And I don't understand how your games are progressing any of your plans."

" _That's because it's just for fun. Now if you'll excuse me, you don't have the finesse for this job._ " Ash sighed before closing his eyes, sinking to the back of his mind. His eyes flew open again, and he pulled his Scroll out of his pocket. A few presses later, he was typing away at the screen. " _Hey, Ozzy. I think I have a small request._ "

" _I'd like you to finally get to know me_."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

The following morning, Weiss woke with a sore arm, staring at the ceiling. Odd, since her bed was right underneath Ruby's, and she never slept on her sides. She yawned and tried to stretch her arms above her head, only to find that one of them was stuck to her side.

Rather, held in place.

With drowsy eyes, Weiss peeked to her left and sighed. Now everything made sense as she stared at her partner's face, a frown marring otherwise peaceful features. Last night's events caught up with Weiss, and she sighed.

Ruby was a mess when she came back- halfway between sobbing and anger, her bags tossed in the corner without a second thought. Weiss found her laying in the corner of her bed, muttering "Stupid" to herself as she hugged herself tightly. And when the heiress hopped up, shaking her awake, the girl leaped at Weiss. Eyes filled with tears but not hiccup escaping her mouth.

Weiss knew her words of comfort did little, but Ruby still kept her close. Though, the little reaper wanted to push Weiss away once Ash was mentioned, making Weiss sigh as she sat next to her. Her sleeve grew wetter and wetter until Ruby finally fell asleep, exhausted emotionally and physically.

Yes, there were two other pairs of eyes glued on the pair. And Weiss sent her glare back at them, daring them to try and speak. Even though the indifference of the faunus and the bluntness of the fiery blonde, they understood. They understood that Ruby really didn't want company, yet she wanted some support.

And that's how Weiss woke up with Ruby still holding onto her with an iron grip. The mess of black hair rested on her shoulder, a pair of legs- pants still on- wrapped around Weiss's right leg.

What did she do about the serene scene? Weiss poked it. Gently, on the forehead, and Ruby stirred with a low groan. "Ruby," Weiss spoke in a sigh, "Get off."

"No," Ruby groaned. She dug her face deeper into Weiss's neck, making the cold girl shiver.

"Ruby! Get off."

"No." Ruby was so comfortable, hugging a pillow that had its own warmth.

"I will push you off this bed."

A few seconds passed as Ruby tried to process the girl's words, her mind moving at the pace of cold syrup. "Fine." She relented. Her arms unclenched, legs unrolling as she let the girl escape her grasp.

"Thank you," Weiss sniffed, a slight red in her cheeks.

The girl tried her hardest to maintain her dignity, walking as normally as she could for the door to have a shower. "You want the pictures?" Weiss heard over her shoulder.

And there went her self-esteem. "Delete those right now," Weiss shouted, whirling around with a finger jabbed at Yang's direction.

The blonde pocketed her Scroll, winking at her teammate. "I don't know," she drawled, mocking to be deep in thought. "It's amazing blackmail material."

Weiss froze in place, debate whether or not Myrtenaster was necessary for the situation. Eventually, she relented and stomped for the door. Yang had to pull out her Scroll eventually- probably around lunch. And it was nice to know that Weiss could hold the brawler still with her glyphs, imagining plans to pluck that tech out of her hands and-

The heiress hopped back, spewing a string of profanities while she held onto her throbbing foot. Right outside their door was a cardboard box, and Weiss's foot had the unfortunate fate to realize how solid its contents were. "You okay?" Yang called out, only half-concerned.

"Fine," Weiss replied through gritted teeth. Her toe no longer felt like a massive bruise, but it was still numb as her Aura took its time to patch it up. Turning back around, Weiss's glare penetrated the brown box- until she noted the slip of paper on the top.

Curious, Weiss limped over and knelt down to take the note off the top. The box shook just a bit, glasses clinking quietly inside the package. Written in pencil, two words were written on the front. " _For Ruby._ " Turning it around, Weiss read the message with a small huff.

She had to admit, the boy was punctual.

" _Tell Ruby I'm sorry for last night._ "

Pocketing the paper, Weiss opened the box up and found… something she didn't quite understand. Bottles of red, piled in a four-by-four square as the dark blotches sloshed inside, sticking to the sides as gravity tried to drag it down. "Ruby," Weiss called over her shoulder, "you've got a package."

 **AN: I can't believe I forgot to do this above. Shoutout to my friend, ThatGreenDooredBookshop. Not just for reviewing the quality of this chapter, but for pushing me and helping me with another project of mine. One you all will see in a couple of months. So give him some love as well.**

 **Hey guys, Fireflame here. So, Chapter 23 is gone, and I'm still trying to break Ruby after all this time. I can't help it- she's so bubbly and innocent in canon, it's hard not to want to ruin it.**

 **The next two chapters are going to be fun. And I'm going to make damn sure they're good enough for myself.**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	24. Chapter 24: Mountain Glenn

**AN: Oh boy, it's time. It's time to be fun with stories again! Hear that? That's the oncoming storm.**

 **Yes, this is another chapter in the same month. I know how rare it is for this story, and I'm sorry that it's been going so slowly. But this month's going to go fast for LN.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or profit off the story. It's just a lot of fun.**

Chapter 24: Mountain Glenn

"As first-year students, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional Huntsman or Huntress, on a mission. Some of you may be taken out of the kingdom for several days. Others may work in the kingdom's walls for the rest of the week.

"But no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."

Applause followed Ozpin's words. Only briefly, though, as the majority of the first-years scattered off to the lists of missions. The amphitheater was soon filled with tens of teams discussing, trying to be heard in the noise. The quick ones decided within the first minute and picked out their desired missions. But a handful of them received an earful from the rest of the team before they quickly took their names off the list, ready to choose another.

And though the man stepped back from the microphone, Ozpin was still onstage, scouting the crowd of students. Team CRDL, he spotted: from his vantage, it looked like a search and destroy. A nest of Grimm, if the headmaster had to guess, accompanied by one of the more… adrenaline-driven Huntsmen.

A few minutes later, the back doors of the amphitheater flew open, and the second-years strolled in. Lead by Coco Adel- who else, Ozpin thought? Fashionably early, he remembered her calling it; the only reason she held back for so long was for the first-years to "get their bearings". Before she flaunted her status and took on the hardest job for her team, as per usual.

However, those sights weren't what he was searching for. In the center of the crowd, still discussing among themselves, there were the four students he was looking for. The sisters, the hidden faunus, and the heiress. Ozpin sighed to himself- it was always them, wasn't it? What was it that made them so prone to trouble?

It had been three days since the last round of messages from his man on the inside, and Ozpin still wasn't prepared to let this person's plan pan out. If only he had another week, the headmaster could have the quadrant cleared out of most of the Grimm. But he didn't have the time- or the resources, for that matter.

Ozpin was hesitant on sending Ruby's team into what was going to be a war zone.

Still, there was no time like the present, especially with the lists of missions filling up. Hopping off the stage, the headmaster made his way over to the girls, his cane making a distinct three-step walk that the students parted for. As Ozpin reached the team, they were still conversing. "Don't you want to explore Vale?" he heard one spoke. "It'll be fun getting out of the city walls again."

"We do that every week," another reminded the first girl. This one was higher pitched- a sophisticated tone to compliment it. "I'd prefer something more… local."

"Come on, Ice Queen-"

"What did I say about that name?"

"Stop being a buzzkill. That's the Emerald Forest- it's barely training for us."

Ozpin stepped through the crowd, stopping behind the girls in question. "Is that so, Miss Xiao Long?" The four teens spun around wearing different masks of surprise. "If so, I believe I have a mission that can indulge you."

"Headmaster Ozpin," Ruby squeaked. "Wha- what are you doing here?"

"I run this school, do I not?" Ozpin couldn't help but crack a small smile.

Only Ruby laughed, nervously, at his dry joke. "Did you need something from us?" Her fingers drummed against the glass bottle in her hands held to her mouth like a microphone. Red liquid stained the corners of her mouth. She took a sip before asking, "Did Yang get in trouble again?"

Ignoring the indignant exclamation from blonde brawler, Ozpin let out a quick laugh. "Nothing along those lines. I have a… proposition for you four. A mission, should you choose to accept it." At the word "mission", Yang's eyes lit up with eager blazing in them. "This is not for the faint of heart, but I will give a small benefit if you complete this mission successfully."

"Which is?" Weiss asked.

"This assignment shall count for two or three missions, depending on your accompanying Huntsman's assessment." Four pairs of eyes went wide. Ozpin could almost hear the cogs in their minds, thinking about days off in the future while their classmates went on time-consuming missions.

"And the catch?"

Ozpin turned to the girl speaking. "Cautious as ever, Miss Belladonna. Yes, there is a caveat to this assignment. You four would have to complete a second-year assignment for this benefit."

Those words gave the headmaster a completely opposite reaction. "And you think we're ready for one of them?" Ruby intoned, worry lacing her voice.

Instead of answering her question, Ozpin spoke as he turned to walk away. "Come, I'll show you the assignment I'm referencing."

Ozpin noted the patter of feet behind him along with the conversing voices of Team RWBY. If they were up for the challenge, then he had nothing to fear- if not… well, there was no harm in sending a second-year team to accompany them.

Along the perimeter of the room, students gathered at the screens for their missions. The gray-haired man was focused on one of them: Search and Destroy. Unsurprisingly, it was the most popular of all the categories with teams piling up at each one. This one had a prominent one- CFVY. "Hello, Miss Adel," Ozpin greeted. "I'm afraid I have to close this one off momentarily.

It took an instant for the beret-wearer to know who was speaking, and it took only moments for Coco to scoot away, looking back at Ozpin with a question on her lips. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing major. Just a different opportunity I'd like to test with the underclassmen."

Coco peered around the man, eyebrows knitted in confusion. A smirk found a home on her face once again. "Yo, Team RWBY." She greeted with a lazy salute. The girls waved back, saying their own greetings. Coco lead her team away from the screen, standing only a bit away from the screen with an eye especially on Ruby. "Don't take the good missions," she warned. "I'm not getting stuck with a village security one again."

A laugh sounded from the young girl. "I'll try not to," she promised. The second-year nodded, backing away with her gaze still on Ruby. Meanwhile, behind her, Velvet gave Ruby a small wave goodbye. Something she gladly returned with a smile.

Ozpin made to speak, but he still glanced around at the other teams still hovering around them. "I'd like to speak in private," he spoke loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. Embarrassed at the callout, the other teams dispersed, but they still cast glances in the first years' direction, eyeing their leader in particular. Ruby wilted under their gazes, shirking away as she pulled her limbs close to her chest.

He sighed- yet another bout of rumors of how he was favoring this team. In truth, it was most likely a burden. "This one would be your mission," Ozpin spoke, gesturing toward the screen. "Quadrant Five, search and destroy."

Ruby tilted her head, confused. "What's so special about Quadrant Five?" she asked.

"Mountain Glenn."

And the Heiress's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?" she squeaked. "Do you mean _the_ failed city, Mountain Glenn?"

Ozpin nodded. "Someone is doing well in Oobleck's class."

One girl was still confused. "Wait, what's Moutain Glenn?" Ruby asked.

Weiss made to speak, but another blonde beat her to the explanation. "Failed expansion of Vale," Yang gave as probably a shortened version of her friend's response. "Overrun by Grimm, abandoned by humans."

"A prime breeding ground for Grimm," Ozpin added. "Which is why I am hesitant to send you alone on this mission."

"Hesitant," Blake noted, staring directly at Ozpin. "Why are you sending us in the first place? Seems like a bit much for a first-year team."

Before Ozpin spoke, Ruby decided to make her own concerns voiced. "And why are you sending us? Team JNPR is just as good."

A deep breath escaped Ozpin, finger tapping against the head of his cane. "I have… an informant. I don't know his reasoning or his motive, but you four have caught his eye."

"Us?" the girls spoke in unison.

"An informant?" Ruby tacked on.

"Your team is quite hard to notice," Ozpin deadpanned. "Reported kidnapping, Schnee heiress, youngest student in Beacon currently." His list gave a bit of clarity and even drew a few blushes from two of the girls. "Even so, his insistence to meet you does not justify the location."

"And you thought this was the easiest way to send us there," Weiss analyzed.

"Not the easiest, no," Ozpin admitted. "If I had it my way, I'd have the Grimm cleared out a day in advance by trained Huntsmen."

"But…" Yang sensed.

"But I did not have that timeframe to work with. And so the best I can offer you right now is this." He gestured back towards the screen. "A mission for yours to take. Tampered down by a few runs a day before by a quick sweep from a Huntress in the area. Though, the amount of Grimm is still not as low as I'd like it for you four."

Team RWBY looked at each other, silently conversing by the looks of their worried expressions. "And if we say no?" Weiss had to ask.

"You can't," Ozpin admitted. "But I can offer you some assistance- one of my most trusted colleagues, for a start. And, if you feel like you'd need it, you can choose to ask for a second-year to help you on this mission. You won't receive the same benefit as I mentioned before, but this will still count as a full mission."

It was another few moments before any of them spoke. "You mentioned someone helped kill some of the Grimm," Ruby reminded for clarification.

"Enough to make it fairly easy for a second-year team," Ozpin answered her unsaid question. "Though potentially a struggle for a first-year."

Yang was already sold for the challenge if the fire in her eyes was any indication. Though one factor still made one of them unsure. "This informant of yours," Blake asked. "Who is it?"

"I don't know."

"What?" Weiss and Blake questioned together.

"He has been an anonymous informant for me for a little while. I don't know what connection he has with your team- perhaps a bit of history?" Ozpin glanced at Blake for a second longer, and the faunus's eyes went wider at the implication. "Some of his information is invaluable, and I'd like to know who this person is."

The headmaster pulled out his Scroll, glancing at the time on the screen. "Your ride leaves at four. I suggest you pack lightly- your Huntsman is a bit of a stickler when it comes to his supplies." Ozpin walked away, sighing to himself when he was sure the girls couldn't hear him. He gave them as much support as he could; all the headmaster could hope now is that it was enough.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Why us?" Ruby frowned as she stared at the screen. "Why us?" she repeated. Her shoulders slumped with resignation. "I said I just wanted to be normal- day one!"

Yang put a hand on her sister's shoulder, a sour smile donning her face. "You were never normal," she jested. Her joke had the inverse effect as it made the frown Ruby donned more defined. "You're too good for normal, lil' sis."

"What I believe your sister is trying to say," Weiss interjected before the blonde could dig a deeper grave for herself, "is that your abilities are exceptional. Whether you want to or not, life likes to embrace the special."

That answered Ruby's question, but that didn't mean she liked it. "That's dumb," she huffed as she crossed her arms.

Another hand slapped the back of Ruby's head, ruffling the young girl's hair into a more chaotic mess. "That's life," a certain second-year chuckled. Ruby whipped her head around, smiling back at Coco's smirk. "Always picking on the best."

The fashionista glanced at the board, and her smirk died to a pout. Coco groaned. "Aw, you took the interesting one. I'll trade you- I heard Whetman has a few nests too many around it."

"We're locked in," Weiss spoke up, stepping up to Ruby's side. "Ozpin said you could help us on this if you want. The headmaster said we could ask for-"

"Strange," Coco commented with a frown. "He never does that." At Weiss's request, the girl shook her head. "Sorry, princess. You're on your own for that one. No second-year wants to be stuck on babysitting duty."

Yang sent her an annoyed glare. "You do realize we're only a year younger than you."

"Not this one," Coco replied, patting Ruby's head twice. And her hand was quickly removed by a quick swat from the reaper. "Good luck." She took one last glance at the screen before brightening. "Hey, Quadrant seven." Two taps later, CFVY's name was registered for the mission. "Got something near Vale, Velvet," she yelled over her shoulder. And the girl sauntered off, back to her team.

RWBY was left in silence for a few moments. "Well," Blake finally spoke. "We're on our own."

"Huh?" Yang turned to her partner with a blank look. "What do you mean?"

"You heard Coco- no second-year would want to be saddled with us on a mission."

"So, what?" Ruby scuffed the ground with her boot, donning a worried expression. "We get no help for something that's out of our league?"

"We have the Huntsman Ozpin assigned us with," Blake reminded her. "Knowing him, he wouldn't risk sending us with nothing less than his most trusted."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"I think you're wrong," Ruby whispered when they arrived at the air-docks.

Weiss swatted her partner's arm, scowling. Though there was a look of concern underneath her cold persona. When she heard "Ozpin's colleague", Weiss imagined a battle-worn man. Not…

"Afternoon, ladies," Oobleck greeted as he took a swig of his canister. "Ozpin informed me of your predicament. And even though it may be a burden, I will assure you- should the need ever arise- I will be there to assist you four in any way possible."

The man's speech didn't do much to stir up their morale. "Um," Yang started, "professor-"

"Doctor," Oobleck corrected on instinct.

"Not to offend you, but I always saw you as more of a…"

"Scholarly individual," Weiss finished, eliciting a nod from Yang. "We never envisioned you as a Huntsman in a field."

Oobleck nodded at the heiress's honesty. "Understandable," he commented. "True, I do not enjoy the field as much as teaching, that does not mean I am any less of a Huntsman. It's not everyone's ability to pursue this career along with a doctorate." He finished with another swig of his coffee.

Ruby started to wonder if that was the only thing keeping Oobleck awake. She already had trouble keeping up with Beacon's classes. Added with the Doctor's history fascination… the girl shuddered. Maybe the fact that he was still alive was a testament to Oobleck's resilience.

"We're already behind schedule," Oobleck rushed out. "Time is of the essence- this informant of Ozpin's is already at risk in Glenn." And, as quickly as Ruby's Semblance, the good doctor zipped away, standing at the bullhead's doors. And most likely giving the pilot a heart attack in the process.

Team RWBY traded looks. "We were summoned," Weiss deadpanned. "Might as well see why."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

It was a half-hour flight of anxiety. The girls had a long time to think of the lack of facts. No identity, no reason, no long explanation by either this mysterious informant or Ozpin. Even Oobleck seemed somewhat in the dark. So, small talk lead to speculation. Speculation to worry; worry to dread.

By the time they were ready to jump, Ruby's arms were weak. She was tensed up the moment the bullhead left the docks, and her muscles never rested on the journey. "This is Mountain Glenn?" The little Huntress twirled around, eyeing the buildings like each one could be where this informant was. "Looks… sad."

"Indeed," Oobleck replied, his voice dropping into his serious lecture mode. "A disastrous attempt at expanding Vale's influence on the continent, leading to the deaths of thousands of individuals. With the Grimm breeding and feasting on the lingering emotions, the negativity has its own aura."

"Why, though?" Yang had to ask. This was news she probably would never learn in a classroom. "So Grimm create these… these areas of negativity? Or do they just live here?"

A bark of laughter escaped Oobleck, startling the girls. "Now you are thinking like a scholar," he mused, amused. "We don't know which is the cause or the effect- only that Grimm and negativity are interconnected. And with this much concentration of pain, sorrow, and death- there will be more Grimm today than you four will reasonably meet."

As Oobleck lectured on, the girls surveyed the area- the abandoned buildings, desolate streets, and the air thick with dust. Gray and green covered the entire landscape, vines trailing up and down the concrete skeletons of buildings. But there was something missing. "If there's a large concentration," Weiss spoke, "then where are the Grimm?"

The doctor's history lesson died down, turning on the spot while his features furrowed with worry. "That… is an interesting question. Ozpin mentioned there was a Huntsman that cleared a portion of the Grimm in the area. Perhaps we landed in the safest zone."

No fault in that logic, but none of them felt secure. In a Grimm-infested area, the four teens had their weapons primed for any danger they might face. And the adult of the group had a bag full of tools at the ready, taking samples of the plant-life and whatever Ruby imagined a historian does.

The first hour in Mountain Glenn passed, and Team RWBY's nerves only increased. Not for the action they had, but the lack of it. For a challenging mission, it was oddly slow. Almost dull. The first few times they stopped for samples, not a single Grimm came. None of them were even seen besides the ones far off in the forest. Two or three times- a coincidence or stroke of luck.

Four or five? Team RWBY was suspicious- they weren't that lucky.

Six times approached seven, and Oobleck started to worry with them. They stared off into the barren streets, waiting for the army of Grimm that their luck would inevitably bring.

And as they neared the seventh stopping point, Ruby was the first to spot it. Beowolves- a full pack of little ones that prowled, yipping and growling to themselves. Finally: the challenge they were expecting. The four girls readied their weapons, various ammo chambers whirling and bolts cocking back as RWBY fell into their stances.

"Don't," Oobleck interjected, an arm out to stop Yang and Ruby from rushing head-in. "They haven't spotted us yet. It's better if we are able to skirt around their territory." He looked back at the Grimm, taking another swig of his canteen. "Nevermind they spotted us."

"What?" Weiss exclaimed, whirling back to face the Beowolves. Indeed, dozens of beady red eyes stared at the group. Her blood chilled as those soulless eyes bore into her, Ruby, Yang, Blake- all who had the same reaction. Their blood pumped fast, and their vision narrowed, only focused on the monsters in front of them.

The Beowolf in the lead stalked forward. And then black mass came fast, the ground rumbling and air humming with galloping beasts.

But the mass never came. As they neared, the Grimm yipped and squeaked as they stumbled to a halt. The pack took another look, surveying the group. And they did the unthinkable.

They ran. Ruby lowered her weapon, standing straight while she watched the wolves retreat. "What?" she breathed. A few moments later, the pack was nothing more than a blur down the road. The earth stopped rumbling, and dust stopped rising from the cracks in the road. Turning the corner, the Beowolves disappeared along with their yips and yaps.

Silence descended again. No quips, no dry remarks, no questions- the small group was left shell-shocked. Arms dropped to their sides with their weapons held by limp hands. "Am I the only one that saw that?" Yang spoke first.

"Curious," Oobleck commented. It was the first time he could remember being frozen in his tracks, left grasping at straws as no historic examples could explain their encounter. "This behavior has only been witnessed by the strongest of Grimm, those that have the centuries-worth of experience to avoid humans."

"But, those weren't that old," Weiss observed, turning to the doctor for answers. "I don't believe there was even an Alpha in that pack."

"No, they weren't," Oobleck agreed, "and no there wasn't. A curious case, indeed. A pack of Beowolves without an Alpha that avoided us. This anomaly must be investigated."

"How long would that take?" Blake asked.

"If it was a one-time chance, perhaps a week. If these behaviors persist, recording and accounting for this new behavior could take months."

That wasn't what any of them wanted to hear. The girls didn't want to spend another hour in the abandoned town, let alone a week. Three of them made to protest- either to remind Oobleck that it wasn't their mission or to coax the man out of it. But the fourth whispered, heard through the thick silence that echoed her voice. "They were scared."

Weiss turned to her right, blinking in wonder. "Excuse me?" she intoned.

"They were scared," Ruby repeated. She was still staring at the empty street, never taking her eyes off the corner the Grimm went behind. "Didn't you see their eyes? They were scared of us."

Fingers snapped in front of Ruby's face as she flinched away. She whipped around to find concern marring Yang's features. "Ruby, you okay, sis?" she asked. "I know you're tense-"

"Why do you think I'm making this up?" Ruby snapped. "One of them looked at me, and I swear it was scared!"

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Oobleck blurted, his eyebrows knotted in confusion.

"Well…" Ruby stared at her feet like she was embarrassed. Maybe she was imagining things after all. "I just saw their eyes. They just… I dunno, looked scared."

Weiss rolled her eyes at the lackluster explanation. "That clears things up," she deadpanned.

"I'm serious," Ruby exclaimed. "They-"

As they argued, something was coming towards their street, kicking up pebbles as it approached. The Beacon students were unaware of the figure's existence until Oobleck shushed them, raising a finger to his ear and beckoning for them to listen. At first, there was nothing, but Blake was the first to pick up the noise. The bow on her head waved without a breeze, perking up as she spun around.

Her team knew enough to trust Blake's senses, and the four girls readied their weapons once again. Sure enough: foot patter. Light and distant, but the barren city had no other noises to stop the sound echoing through the street. A few blocks away, the figure emerged from behind a building.

Dust and dirt in the air created a low-hanging cloud. Everything was seen through a brown-and-gray filter, blurring the world enough that the team couldn't see far enough. Clear enough. But one thing was for sure.

It was definitely human.

Dark clothes, small stature, and a skip to its step- that's all they could glean from the woman. Besides her gender. A woman's voice- maybe a young adult's- swept through the streets. A light, mournful song breezed over the girls, chilling their bones. A song, Weiss realized, was strangely familiar.

Their little group laxed their stances, too confused to be worried over a fight. " _The cold_ ," a woman sang, " _seems to grow in my soul, it's consuming me_.'

Yang whipped her head to the side, staring at her teammate. She wasn't the only one; Ruby and Blake also followed her lead. "Was that-?"

"No," Weiss answered. "But, that was my song." She wanted to say more, but these shocking events, one right after another, left her mind in the dust. "I... how?"

"Not to mention your voice," Ruby added. Weiss nodded, still waiting for her mind to catch up with what her eyes and ears were processing. She watched the woman disappear with Weiss's voice, crossing the street with her song dying away. "You think that's our informant?"

"A reasonable explanation," Oobleck spoke. "No nearby residence or Huntsman mission around our area."

Ruby flicked her eyes between the others. And with a sigh, the reaper holstered her weapon and took off in a sprint. "Ruby, wait!" she heard her sister yell behind her followed by shoes slapping the pavement. Her words fell on deaf ears as Ruby continued.

There was something off about that woman. Ruby rounded the corner, catching the edge of the building to take a tighter turn. There- a block away. The woman continued to skip away, singing at the top of her lungs to the beasts around her. How any Grimm hadn't noticed her was a mystery, one Ruby intended to catch. "Hey," the young girl yelled, cupping her hands around her mouth for effect.

The figure spun around, features still too far away to make out properly. And Ruby couldn't be sure, but she could've sworn the woman waved back at her, a small hop backward as she herself tore off towards the end of the street. Of course, the woman wasn't making anything easy. Why would she? Ruby growled to herself, putting on more speed.

The two played a game of Cat and Mouse with the supposed informant always one step ahead of Ruby. No matter how out of breath Ruby became, how much effort she put into her Semblance, the person always seemed to know when Ruby was catching up. They took alleys, Ruby zooming past as the woman gained another lead every time the girl overshot. The woman cut through buildings where Ruby weaved through pillars, unable to put on too much speed else she break her nose on the concrete walls. No moment to pause and catch her breath, the woman was playing a game of endurance.

And Ruby was losing, refusing for her muscles to convince her mind.

They lost Yang and the others long ago, separated by the maze of gray pillars and decaying walls. At some point in the run, Ruby stopped caring about her aching thighs or her empty stomach; her dry eyes or parched mouth. She ignored how much she wished she was back at Beacon or the perception of time, focusing on breathing and moving forward.

Ruby just wanted this woman to stop.

Like she heard the poor girl's prayers, the figure did. Ruby sobbed in relief when the figure finally stopped, collapsing to the ground with her back pressed against a wall. Ruby hobbled over with a wince for every step. Everything hurt, she was hungry and parched, her friends were nowhere in sight, and she was exhausted.

But Ruby caught her.

A brilliant red washed over the city, courtesy of the setting sun. The reaper hadn't even noticed how much time had passed. It was a wonder how she hadn't already passed out. But that thought might have crossed Ruby's mind a tad bit soon, as her legs gave way like jelly under a sack of bricks. Ruby's hands hit the pavement to stop herself from breaking her nose against it. However, energy seemed a distant memory as her arms barely broke her fall, merely rolling to the side instead of falling flat. Ruby couldn't even groan, she was too tired. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, chest heaving with her heart pounding heavy metal against her ribs.

If it was any consolation, Ruby could hear how heavy the other woman was breathing. "You're fast," the figure giggled in her delirious state. "I thought you were going to catch me a few times."

Oh great, now she was mocking Ruby. A few quips and choice words came to mind, but only one felt appropriate enough. "Ughhh," Ruby moaned, turning over to her back.

A water bottle came into view, held over her eyes as the water refracted the sun's rays into Ruby's eyes. "Want one?" the woman asked with her high-pitched, chirping voice.

Ruby nodded, and the hand tossed the bottle onto the young girl's stomach. Her heart raced at the thought of water, whimpering at the mere thought. But not yet- with how heavy she was breathing, she was as likely to chug the entire thing as she was to choke on a single drop.

The girls laid there, panting and gasping for breath from their intense run. "Who…" Ruby panted, "who are you?" Finally close enough, Ruby got her first good look at the woman. This figure was decked in red and black, a hoodie casting a shadow over her face with the sleeves ripped off all the way up to her shoulders. What a weird choice, Ruby thoughts created with no energy to filter them. A hoodie without sleeves- that defeats the purpose, doesn't it?

The hooded woman lowered her own water bottle, already half empty. "You're Ruby, right?" she asked. Ruby gave her a weak nod. "I'm Ozpin's informant."

"Name?"

"Now hold on, that's spoiling things." Through her hazy mind, Ruby thought the woman was pouting under that hood. "And your friends? Did you bring anyone else?"

"Team," Ruby breathed out, making her words count. "And Oobleck."

The hood tilted to the side. "The history teacher?" she intoned. "That might be fun. You know where they are?" Ruby shook her head, making the woman sigh. "Yeah, maybe that wasn't the best idea to run." The figure rubbed the back of her neck with a light-pale arm.

"You think?"

Ruby's question went unanswered as the woman tilted her head up, staring at the sky. The light hit a few features of her face that Ruby could see- small nose and thin lips, with cheeks rounded by baby fat. "It's getting dark," the informant spoke. "We should go."

"But-"

"Your friends should be fine." And then the informant tilted her head like she was listening for something. "Hang on, maybe? Probably. Oobleck's with them, so maybe. Someone in your group knows how to make a camp, right?"

Enough time had passed that Ruby could breathe normally, but the rest had also reminded her just how drained she was. "Yang knows," she spoke, her words slurring.

"Good enough." Groaning, the woman got to her feet, using the wall as support. "I can't feel my legs," she admonished.

"I can't feel anything," Ruby shot back, wincing as her back protested her choice to sit up. A whine escaped Ruby, "Why'd you run? I'm so tired now." That was punctuated nicely by an uproaring yawn.

The woman shrugged. "It was fun, right?"

Ruby blinked. "Fun?"

Three sharp cracks rang when the woman arched backward, letting loose a muffled moan. "Letting loose?" she clarified. "Thrill of a run and all that?" In the setting sun, Ruby spotted the content smile on her face. "It feels nice to just be free, you know?"

Now that she mentioned it, Ruby indeed felt looser. Hours without the need to look over her shoulder or please someone- only running to her heart's content and past it. Exhausting herself until she couldn't stand without the fear of injury, the rush of wind and adrenaline as she raced through the abandoned streets.

She was right- Ruby had a blast. Which, considering where she was, it was quite odd. She didn't have to worry about monsters in a Grimm-infested town. Ruby had no urgency for anything despite being on a mission. And her friends…

The woman tilted her head as Ruby started to frown. "What's wrong?"

"My friends," Ruby replied in a small voice. "They're probably really worried about me."

Ruby's concern was waved off. "Eh, you'll see them tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Ruby tried to hop to her feet, but she made it barely a few inches off the ground before a yelp escaped her, falling back to the ground as the poor girl rubbed her poor calves.

"You're not going back out," the woman scoffed with a pointed look. "You should crash at my place.

"And…" Another yawn stretched Ruby's mouth along with her words. "Where is that?"

Four knuckles rapped against the wall behind the woman. "You're looking at it."

Ruby blinked, mouth slightly agape in disbelief. "Why didn't we just come here in the first place?" she whined. Really, it was like the woman wasn't in any rush. Like Mountain Glenn was just a regular town; the Grimm pets; Ruby's reason to be here being a visit instead of a mission.

"I wanted to have fun," she said with a shrug. "Do you know how dull it gets without people to talk to?"

A retort rested at the tip of Ruby's tongue, but another yawn forced its way up Ruby's mouth. Her eyes felt heavy with sleep, and the ground felt like an amazing place to doze away. Even if she was on a bed of nails, Ruby was positive she could sleep soundly.

Arms wrapped around Ruby's own, standing her up against protests that took too much effort to mumble out. "Come on," the woman grunted, dragging Ruby indoors. "You aren't sleeping out here." And with her cooperation, the two limped in the building, the creaky old door shutting behind them.

Inside was pitch black, at least until the woman flicked on a lantern. Yellowish-white light washed over the room, illuminating a table full of papers. The cooler in the corner next to a portable stove.

Ruby barely paid attention to any of that, her focus directed to the object in the back. The girl moaned in ecstasy as she collapsed on the bed, her legs still hanging off and face planted in the cheap fabric. The woman sighed as she pushed Ruby onto it fully. "You know that's mine, right?"

"Not anymore," Ruby denied, her voice muffled by the mattress.

The woman sighed, shoving Ruby once more. But she didn't try and take the bed back- Ruby would take whatever small victories she could. Finally on something soft, her muscles relaxing after being used for so long, Ruby felt sleep overtake her. Reality and dreams started to merge together as black spots danced whenever the tired girl closed her eyes.

She must've fallen at sleep at some point because the world around her started to stop making sense. The woman from before sat on the edge of the bed, adjusting Ruby's cape so it covered like a blanket. "Sleep well, Ruby," the informant spoke. But it wasn't the voice from before. A low, soft voice replaced her high-pitched bubbly voice. It almost sounded… familiar, though it didn't fit the person speaking.

No, Ruby must've been dreaming. The woman seemed to shift and bubble; her shoulders broadened and squared up with longer arms to support it. It had to be a dream, Ruby thought as she closed her eyes.

 **AN: And Farayan's back in the equation. Hello, it's Fireflame again.**

 **Man, Season 6 has my spirit invigorated. So many theories running around, an amazing intro, and a plot that finally is moving and fast. I haven't been this excited since when I started season 3. Let's hope RT doesn't bomb it.**

 **Anyway, the chapter. The Mountain Glenn scenes are going to be a bit difficult to write. I've gotta get a few characters in a few places with a good transition, split up Farayan from the group whenever he needs to change forms for maximum effect- I just hope I do well with it.**

 **See you all in a couple of days,**

 **Flames of Fire.**


	25. Chapter 25: Remember Me?

**AN: Fifteen days, three chapters. National Novel Writing Month is going to be the death of me. A fun death, but still a killer. I'm still around 4000 words behind schedule. That's not stopping me from pumping out chapters, though.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or make any money from this story.**

Chapter 25: Remember Me?

"Ruby!" Yang cupped her hands over her mouth, shouting over and over again every block. Her teammates were behind her- well, two of them- helping her endeavor. Though, Yang was charging ahead at a much faster pace, bouncing on the balls of her feet and ready to dash at the sound of her sister's voice.

It had been a stressful night for the group's remaining members. Fifteen minutes is all it took for Ruby to disappear, and hours later she couldn't be found. Oobleck and the rest of Team RWBY sometimes caught glimpses of the small girl, chasing after the woman in black. Blake was the only one in the group that could match Ruby's raw speed, but she hesitated to run after the reaper. Hesitant to separate the group even further under the chastisement of Weiss and Oobleck.

Maybe that was the correct move, Blake thought as she witnessed Ruby run for hours, hopping and sprinting through alleys and rooftops as the sky reddened around them. Ruby slowed a considerable amount as the sun set, too tired to keep up her original pace. But so were her teammates. They were worn down by their attempts to catch the woman- and Ruby along with her. But it seemed like this mysterious figure knew every secret path to cut across, some Blake thought were impossible unless she had wings. And Ruby followed along, speeding up the walls with her Semblance that Weiss and Blake could only imitate.

But whenever they hopped over the ledge, safely on the roof of whatever building they were scaling, Ruby was on the next roof, leaping across with the recoil of her weapon. And the figure was even further away, running on the building _after_ Ruby's.

Needless to say, it was quite hopeless to try and catch up.

The fact didn't sit well in Yang's stomach, unable to eat anything as they camped out for the night. Weiss and Blake exchanged glances of concern- of course, they were worried about Ruby, but Yang was desperate to not lose her sister the second time that year. "We'll sleep for the night," Oobleck spoke in the thick atmosphere. The frown on his face was an indication that the doctor knew how Yang was feeling at the moment- he merely chose to ignore it.

The other two girls were thankful for that fact.

"But Ruby-" Yang started to protest.

"We'll search in the morning," Oobleck concluded. The blonde shut her mouth when Oobleck looked at her. His glasses hid the steely stare, but it still made Yang's hairs stand up. End of discussion, even when she wanted to say more. "Until then, rest up. We have ground to cover in the morning."

Yang nodded, impatiently drumming her fingers against the ground. She was still brimming with energy, packed with the adrenaline needed to find Ruby. And that off switch would take a while- sleep wasn't coming easy that night. "I'll take first watch," Yang declared, jumping to her feet and dusting off herself. "Four of us- two hours each?" She walked to the edge of the floor, still muttering as she looked over their vantage point. "Maybe we should light something up for Ruby to see, or-"

"Yang." The girl whipped around and found Weiss staring back at her, sympathy written on her face. "We'll find her," she promised with a soft voice. "She's tough enough to fend for herself."

Comfort was laced with the heiress's words, and it made Yang take a deep breath. Too shaky for her liking.

She gripped her right arm in a vice grip- Yang hadn't realized the rapid beat she'd been drumming against her bracelet. "Right," Yang replied, obviously distracted.

She'd already lost Ruby once- how many more times would this happen?

Morning came too slowly as the moon hung in the air like a teasing mistletoe. Sleep must not have come at all with all the tossing and turning Yang did. Yet, the brawler was still the first up- besides Blake, awake as the last shift. As soon as they were ready for the day, Yang was in the streets, yelling her sister's name until her throat was raw.

They already covered a quarter of the city, every alley and building and street shouted down. Yang wanted to move faster, cover the rest of the city before the sun- high in the sky- before it set. Outside the realm of possibility, Weiss and Blake still promised her to move faster.

Another quarter searched, another disappointing three hours. Yang was still stubborn, trudging ahead the entire time while the rest of the group ate a late lunch, trying to keep up with her pace. "Ruby!" Yang yelled again, her voice as dead as the city around her.

"Yang?"

Four heads whipped up at the empty street. And up again, scanning the rooftops. Ruby sat on the edge of a building behind them, one leg draped over the other as she leaned forward, nonchalant as could be. "How've you been?" Ruby quipped happily.

"Ruby," Yang breathed. Tension left her body as Yang ran, pushing past her friends wearing different levels of surprise. "Where have you been?" Yang barked without the bite in her words. "Do you know how worried I was?" And her feet froze without the rest of her body, almost toppling over before Yang caught herself.

She looked down, and anger started to settle. Ice: encasing Yang's legs up to her thigh, made by a dying white glyph. "Weiss," Yang growled, glaring back at the heiress.

But Weiss was barely paying the girl any attention, eyes glued to the one on the building. "You're not Ruby," she stated. Myrtenaster whirled at her side, tip aimed at the ground but ready to be raised at a moment's notice. "Where is she?"

"What are you talking about?" Ruby pouted behind a pair of sunglasses. "Can't you recognize your partner?"

"I can recognize what clothes she wears," Weiss shot back. No signature cape, no combat skirt- but it was a convincing fake from afar, and not under the scrutiny of the heiress. Not a combat skirt, but a piece of black cloth wrapped around her waist. "Ruby's" shirt and pants lacked the red frills, and her cape barely went to her waist, not even brushing the ground.

"I'll ask again," Weiss said to the imposter. She pointed her rapier at the girl, tip gleaming in the afternoon light. "Where is Ruby?"

The pout on the woman's face flipped into a playful grin. "Aw," she cooed. "You really do pay attention to your partner." She adjusted her glasses as she stood up, giving the group a farewell wave while she backed away from the ledge.

They weren't going to let her get away that easily. Blake was the first to run after the Ruby imposter, using various collapsed walls to scale the building. Oobleck was right at her heels, and Weiss would've been as well. But a certain voice stopped her. "You gonna do anything?" Yang demanded, indignant as she crossed her arms.

Weiss glanced at the brawler's feet still covered in ice. "Right," Weiss chagrined, waving a hand in her direction. The ice receded back into a light-blue glyph, but Yang was impatient. The sound of crystal shattering echoed through the street as Yang pulled herself out, blasting herself up with her gauntlets and running after the others. Weiss scoffed under her breath before following suit.

This time, the chase was nowhere as long as last night. The Ruby look-alike hopped off the roof and landed in a roll, Blake gaining on her step by step. Her prey rushed into a building, the only one the faunus saw in this entire city with all its walls standing. Yet, there was too much distance as Fake-Ruby slid a metal plate in front of the entrance, metal screeching against granite.

Blake wasted no time in unsheathing her sword, plunging the blade into the metal. It was taking too long, making a hole large enough for her to fit through. The sheet was too thick, and Blake couldn't get the leverage she needed.

"Move it!" Blake didn't have to be warned twice by the biting voice. Her sword was yanked out of the metal, and she spun to the side just as Yang crashed past, slamming her entire body and toppling the silver door over like it was little more than plywood.

And inside, it was pitch black with the lack of windows. The light from the doorway couldn't reach the back of the single room, pillars and old-fashioned lightbulbs hanging down from the ceiling. Yang pulled on a few of the strings, hearing the clicks without seeing the light. Oobleck strode into the room and flicked his wrist. The canteen always in his hands unfolded to a staff, the tip of which lit the room in a fiery orange.

With the entire team caught up, they scanned the room with weapons at the ready.

Empty.

"Where is she?" Yang asked. There didn't seem to be another way out: no doors besides the one behind them, and she couldn't find any holes in the ceiling or floor. Solid walls and ceiling, a granite tiled ground. Then where could she have gone? "Where is she?" Yang asked again, frustration rising.

"Where's who?" A small voice in the corner squeaked. Four sets of weapons pointed at the boy who spoke, holding up callused hands as he recoiled back. "Whoa," he exclaimed. "What are you doing?" The teenage boy stumbled back, tripping over his feet. "Don't shoot!"

Stunned, the girls lowered their weapons. "Did you see the girl?" Weiss demanded the boy.

"What girl?" he asked, peering around his hands when he felt the anger divert off him. cocoa-brown eyes, Weiss noted. "You mean my friend?"

Weiss sighed- this mission just got stranger and stranger. "Possibly. Fairly short, black and red clothes with a red cape, pale skin- sound like someone you know?"

The boy tilted his head in thought. "Sounds like the girl we found," he replied. "But I don't know anymore- are you guys real?"

What kind of question was that? "Do we look real?" Yang intoned, an eyebrow cocked at the boy.

"Maybe," the boy cautioned. Without warning, he jumped at the closest one- Weiss.

The heiress almost took a swipe at the boy, startled as she hopped away while grabbed her foot. Instead, she resorted to kicking him in the shoulder. The teen yelped in pain, releasing Weiss's foot to rub his sore arm. "Yeah, you're real," he decided.

"Why would you do that?" Weiss snapped. Her rapier was raised again, ready for another surprise from the boy.

"This town," the boy said in no more than a whisper. The blood in Weiss's system froze- the fear in his eyes, how his short brown hair shook as he trembled. "It makes you see things," he hissed.

Oobleck approached the boy, kneeling in front of him. His glasses reflected the fire on his canteen-staff. "What things?"

"You probably already know what I'm talking about. Figures that don't make sense? Things that can't or shouldn't happen?"

Yang thought back to the two women on the run. Then the pack of Grimm that also ran from them. "Those weren't real?" she intoned.

"They are."

"But you just said-"

"You see things that don't make sense," the boy babbled, "because someone _wants_ you to see them."

Dozens of questions were on each of their minds. "Explain," Oobleck instructed.

"There's someone out there that's playing. I thought I was being chased by Grimm and locked myself here."

"You?" Yang stared at the boy- unimpressed by his lanky physique. No way he was able to move a hunk of metal to block the entrance. "How'd you move that thing then?"

"The woman," he intoned.

Weiss huffed, impatient with these vague answers. "We're wasting time," she spoke. "How did you get here?"

"I came with a friend- said she wanted to talk to Ozpin."

Now that was information that the group wanted to hear. "Second question," Weiss decided to ask. She needed to know more about this… woman. "You said you found a girl that matched my description. Where is she?"

The boy stammered, "S-she's back at our camp, sleeping."

"Sleeping? But we just saw-"

"She said her name was Ruby," the boy tacked on as an afterthought. "Not sure if she's the one you were chasing though, but- hey!"

At that, he was hefted up by his white shirt's collar. He shivered under the intense stare by violet eyes. "Take me there," Yang commanded.

And no one noticed the pile of clothes in the dark corner as the boy led them out of the one-room building.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

Rusty hinges creaked on the oak door as the boy had trouble forcing it open, splinters scraping against the ground and creating a grinding sound. With a breath of annoyance, Yang shouldered her way past, one arm stronger than the boy's entire body weight.

Inside, the room was lit by a single lantern hanging by a hook in the ceiling, cracks spreading from where it impaled as if it was driven directly into the concrete ceiling. The center was habited by a quaint little table, the originally smooth surface splitting and cracking from years of disuse- though hidden under a small mountain of blue papers. And behind that, on a lone mattress… "Ruby!" Yang exclaimed in relief, bounding around the table as she smothered the bundle on the bed in a hug.

The lost girl woke with a start, inside a chokehold. It took a moment for her to realize how affectionate her perpetrator's hold was. "Yang?" Ruby called out, voice heavy with sleep.

"You're not supposed to run off like that," Yang scolded, but her soft tone undercut whatever the brawler tried to drill into her sister's brain. Maybe not, as evidenced by the ashamed expression on Ruby's face. "We're on a mission- you can't just go solo."

"I know," Ruby sighed as she gave the arm around her neck a reassuring pat. "I got a bit caught up."

"Well, that won't happen again." Oobleck stepped forward with a stone-cold expression. Yang and Ruby turned around and remembered- in Ruby's case, realized- that they had company. Weiss and Blake were off behind, wearing various emotions as each one flickered for an instant. Anger, worry, suspicion.

Relief.

But the main focus was on the doctor in the center of the room, glasses hiding what must have been an intense stare. "You, Miss Rose, are not to leave my side for the remainder of the mission. Is that understood?"

"But-" Ruby's argument died in her throat, effectively quashed by Doctor Oobleck's imposing aura. "Alright," the reaper murmured with her head bowed.

He nodded. "Good." Oobleck turned his head around, looking back at the boy still standing off by the doorway. "You there," he called out, startling the boy out of his thoughts. "What's your name?"

The brown-eyed boy blinked. "My name?" he wondered. "I don't really know."

It took a moment for the group to process his words. "What?" Weiss was the first to speak- elegant words as always. "You don't know your name?"

"I was called a lot of things," the boy replied. His head tilted to the side while his eyes went upward. "The first one was Farayan, I think. Or was it Lusus?"

Ruby's breath hitched, all hints of drowsiness evaporating as she leaned forward to get a better look at Farayan. Black hair, short stature- and that's where her hopes died off. Brown eyes replaced the striking blue she remembered, and the clothes were off- too small for the boy instead of a size larger. Ruby sighed in disappointment. A sigh that didn't go unnoticed, as she felt Yang's hand tighten its grip on her shoulder.

"Farayan," Oobleck spoke. "Or Lusus, whichever you prefer-"

"Farayan," the boy responded with ease.

"Do you know where we can find your friend? If she needs to talk to Ozpin…"

Farayan nodded. "I could go get her," he offered.

"We'll come with you," Yang replied. She stood up, bringing Ruby up onto unsteady feet. "It's not safe for you to be alone out there."

Surprisingly, Farayan shook her head. "I'm not helpless," he countered. "Plus, I gotta pick some things out to eat today." Still, he was treated by skeptical looks. "She's probably just bummed out that she couldn't race Ruby today." And before any other protests could come his way, Farayan cleared the room, the door screeching shut behind him.

Blake, the closest one, whipped the door right back open, sticking her head out. It whirled left, then right, eyes scanning the rooftops before she stepped back inside with a sigh. "He's gone," Blake swore. Without a semblance of which direction he went, it was useless to try and wander the dangerous streets. And their informant had to come back eventually. Eat or sleep, all her belongings were there.

Still, it did little to stop anger from simmering, the team annoyed by the amount of disappearing acts these people wanted to play. Team RWBY would just have to wait there. Sit there. At the very least, they had time to study the room they were cooped up in. Weiss, Blake, and Oobleck went to work, studying the various prints on the table.

Meanwhile, Yang turned back to her sister. "You okay?" she asked.

No, Ruby was not okay. "Yeah."

Yang rolled her eyes- it was a little nice to have a sister that couldn't lie when she wanted to hide something. And with how rattled Ruby was, those giveaways were all the more defined. "He's gone," Yang spoke softly, and Ruby wilted just a bit. The mention of her friend was enough to send Ruby into a reminiscent mood, and to have that boy use the same name was throwing her in a whirlwind of emotions.

"Hey," Yang encouraged, adding a bit of steel to her voice. "We're on a mission. She gave her sister a little shake. "It's not going to do you any good thinking about Him right now." No question of who "Him" was.

With a bit of effort, Ruby pulled her mind out of the swirl of memories. "Right," she muttered. Then, she cleared her throat. "Yeah. I'll try not to." Ruby tried on a reassuring smile, but it came off weaker than she wanted. Nevertheless, Yang gave her shoulder one last squeeze before she ran off to help her teammates.

Ruby sighed, laying with her arms splayed out to her sides. "Don't think you're off the hook," she heard Weiss scold. "When we get back, we are going to have a talk about rushing off without backup."

A smile crept on Ruby's face- Weiss couldn't hide the bit of concern in her voice. "Yes ma'am," Ruby quipped while she hopped to her feet. In another moment, the girl joined her friends in digging through the informant's papers on the table.

Silence hung for a minute, interrupted only by papers rustling and mumbles as one of them found something interest. Oobleck surveyed the entirety and frowned- train carts, bomb designs, highlights for which areas in Vale had the densest concentrations of Grimm. It looked like a massive operation, though he couldn't tell if it was for good or bad.

A low growl rose up, morphing into the sound of gurgling liquid. Four sets of heads whipped up only to be annoyed at the source. Ruby covered her stomach with both arms, blushing a velvet red as she tried to smile. "Anyone have food?" Ruby tried to laugh off. A pack of rations was tossed her way which she devoured, sighing as her stomach stopped fighting herself.

"Ruby," Blake remembered suddenly. The girl in question perked at her name. "Do you know who the woman is- the one you were chasing?"

Ruby swallowed her mouthful of sweet, bready mush. "No."

"How about what she looks like?"

"I never got a good look at her," Ruby admitted. "Round face? That's about it."

That wasn't anything to go off, so they dug back into the mess on the table.

* * *

Minutes kept passing, and that underlying concern continued to grow. They wondered how long it would take for them to meet this informant. And half an hour later, they received their answer.

"Hello," a cheerful voice spoke. Bubbly and piping with energy.

Everyone turned towards Ruby who donned a face of surprise. "What?" Ruby asked, confused as to why everyone was staring at her. "That wasn't me."

"Why do they think you spoke?" the voice said again. The group turned toward the door, cracked open by the splinters that refused to be shut on. It creaked open as a head popped through the crack, and five people had five sharp intakes of breath.

Ruby.

No, not Ruby- there were red eyes where silver ones should have been. But everything about her screamed the girl in the back of the room. And that image was only clearer when the door fully opened. If it weren't for those eyes and the jet-black t-shirt and pants, there wouldn't be a way to tell them apart. "You're awake!" The girl exclaimed, ignoring the others as she ran to pull Ruby in a tight hug.

As expected, Ruby could only blink. "Hi," she eventually spoke, hands held up like they didn't know whether to hug back or push her away.

Luckily, she didn't have to make the choice as the girl held Ruby at arms-length. It felt… surreal. Yang did fill her in that they met someone that looked like Ruby, but this was something else to experience it for herself. "I've wanted to meet your properly for so long," she said brightly.

For the rest of them, it was like a horrible, horrible side effect from a medication. "Are you seeing this?" Yang whispered to her partner, both donning wide eyes.

"Yeah," Blake whispered back. Then, louder, "You're the informant?"

Like she didn't realize there were more people, the girl turned with a hint of interest in Blake. And she smiled. "Blake!" The Ruby Copy looked at the rest of the group. "And Yang and Weiss. You brought the team, good." With the energy of a sugar-hyped rabbit, the girl ran around shaking everyone's hands with enough vigor to dislocate a limb. "You guys are so…" She ran out of words to use and instead resorted to an excited squeal, bouncing back.

"Sorry," the girl apologized. "It's just… it's going to be so much fun, playing with you guys."

Weiss stared at her with a hand still outstretched, stunned by the informant's lighthearted nature. It was almost infectious if not for the severity of the situation- well, she couldn't really tell if the girl was serious or not. "And, you are?" Weiss asked eventually.

The girl stopped mid-ramble, mid-step as she strolled towards Oobleck for another greeting. "You don't know me?" She sounded genuinely hurt, turning around to Weiss.

This day was just a flurry of changes, and Weiss couldn't keep up. "N-no," Weiss stammered. "You look like Ruby, but I don't think I've met you."

"The forest, remember?" She pouted. "You were there, and you were there." She pointed at Blake who looked just as surprised as Weiss was. "And you, and you."

The girl now selected the entirety of Team RWBY as her witnesses, and none of them knew what she was talking about. "Nope," Yang popped.

"Just see Ruby," Blake put in.

"She doesn't look like me, does she?" Ruby asked, studying her doppelgänger. "I thought I had bigger eyes."

"No, she looks basically the same as you," Weiss argued.

The girl in question frowned, crossing her arms with a huff. "I'm flattered, but I'm also offended." Then, realization seemed to dawn on her face. "Wait, I look like Ruby."

"You thought you looked like someone else?" Yang jested.

The girl let out a deep exhale like she was angry at her own actions. "Hold on." She held up a finger as her head flung back, eyes closed. "I can fix this."

And her skin started to shift.

Shrieks of horror filled the room as they all hopped away from… whatever the girl was doing. Something looked like it was crawling under her clothes as her hair filled out. Cheeks began to thin out, and her features shifted around into place.

No, not her features. His features.

Jaws dropped and eyes popped at the boy in front of them, painfully aware how unnatural this being was. "Ah," he sighed with a smile.

Such a thin voice, but so memorable for Ruby. Her breath hitched as the boy cracked the small kinks out of his neck. "That's better." And he opened his eyes- his piercing, sea-blue eyes. "Remember me?"

A fly could land on a pillow, and it would still be too loud for the room. "Come on," Farayan sighed. "Still nothing?"

A blur tackled him, one that he expected. Farayan laughed as Ruby gripped him as if to reassure herself that, yes, he was real. "Farayan?" Ruby squeaked.

"The one and only." Arms wrapped around the poor girl, a comfort that she missed so dearly.

Ruby took a shaky breath before the tears came. But behind her, the sounds of blades unsheathing and guns cocking sounded. "Ruby," Yang started in a deadly calm voice. "Step away."

"No," the little red reaper whined.

"Ruby." Yang's voice had on more steel. "Come over here."

Face still buried in fabric, Ruby shook her head. "I know what you're going to do," she argued. "And I won't let you."

"Hey," Farayan spoke. Ruby melted. "You might want to listen to your sis."

"But-"

"Didn't you say Farayan was a Grimm?" Weiss reminded, bouncing slightly in her battle stance. "You shouldn't trust anything this… thing has to say."

Ruby craned her neck back, a fire in her glare that Weiss shuddered under. "Don't say that," she snapped. "He took care of me when it mattered."

"She's right, you know."

Ruby turned back at the boy she was hugging. "What?"

Farayan gave her a disarming smile. "I'm not exactly right in the mind." And to emphasize his point, he made a little "coo-coo" gesture at his temple. "Farayan's not home right now."

"So, you're…" Ruby didn't want to say it.

Still, with that disarming smile, Farayan leaned down until they were almost nose-to-nose. "Boo," he whispered.

A laugh bubbled out of the boy as Ruby jumped back like she was burned. "I'm sorry I'm not your little Fary," he cooed.

"Don't say that," Ruby said, no more than a whisper. With jittery arms, Ruby pulled her own weapon out and took aim, though the barrel never aimed at Farayan for more than a moment with her hyperventilating breaths and jelly-arms. "Never say that name," she demanded.

"Little Red," Farayan sighed with a _tsk_. "You have to learn to move past that. We're the same person." He tilted his head as if in thought. Or if he was discussing something in his mind. "Actually, that's a lie. I promised Farayan I wouldn't lie." His eyes locked with Ruby's, and he smirked. "At least, not with you."

Five weapons were still trained on him, much to Farayan's annoyance. "Please," he sassed. "Keep a gun on me if it makes you feel better."

"What are you doing here?" Yang demanded. "I thought Atlas said you died."

"Rule number one, Blondie: Atlesians lie."

"No, we-"

"Ironwood," Farayan interrupted Weiss's retort, ticking each name off his fingers. "Treuse, you."

Now, it was Weiss's turn to be indignant again. "Me?"

Farayan's head cocked to the side, feigning confusion. "Didn't you lie about setting up Ruby with Jaune?"

The blood drained out of Weiss's face- just how much did he know? "H-how-?"

"Princess." The madman clasped his hands together as if to beg. "I'm trying to have fun here. Let me speak for a bit before you try and interrupt me again." Weiss clammed up, fury confusingly mixing with the dread in her system. "Thank you. Now, where was I?"

"You are Ozpin's informant?" Oobleck finally spoke as he tried to process everything.

A bright grin seemed permanent on Farayan's face. "Why, yes I am," he said proudly.

"But, why are you aiding us?"

"To wreak havoc, of course."

Ruby shook her head. "No," she murmured. Heads turned in her direction, but she was only interested in one as she shivered under Farayan's gaze. He was a monster, half her brain argued. The other half scolded herself. "You wouldn't do that."

Farayan was almost touched by how pure Ruby still was. "And why's that, sweetie?"

With a deep breath, Ruby gripped her gun tighter. "You're still Farayan," she announced. "The Farayan I know wouldn't do anything that hurt innocent people."

"Sadly, you're right." A stroke of genius painted on Farayan's brightened face. "Ooh, you should talk to him about this." Ignoring the judgmental looks, the boy knocked on his head. "You in there, friend? If you want to talk to Ruby, now's your chance. Just remember the rules."

It took a moment, but Farayan's expression started to morph. But not without one parting crazed smile. "He's coming," he sang.

And that crazy spark faded in his eyes. Right before their eyes, Farayan seemed to age. No wrinkles or anything, just how his shoulders drooped from an invisible pressure and his eyes stopped gleaming. "Ruby," Farayan croaked. He looked… ashamed. Like he didn't have a right to call out to her.

Ruby's heart started to crack- again- at the haggard expression, the haunted deep breaths. "Farayan?" she called out.

Everything happened so fast.

The pale skin on Farayan's forearm peeled and darkened. A second later, the hair collected together and formed a makeshift knife, the shape of a Nevermore's feather. Ignoring the sting as he did so, Farayan yanked the feather out with his other hand by the stem, flipping it into an icepick grip.

Those around him yelled various warnings to each other, weapons trained on Farayan as they awaited a sudden rush. Ruby shrieked, terror in her eyes as she ran forward to stop him. Too late, as Farayan drove razor-sharp feather into flesh, gasping in the process. And why wouldn't he?

There was now a black knife in his side.

 **AN: Whoops, people are breaking again. Hello, it's fireflame. We're in the final stretch, last five or so chapters left. I don't know how many exactly, just the approximate scenes I have left.**

 **In better news, I'm finally back in my comfort zone: breaking people's spirits. Physical torture? A bit lame, since I don't know how to do it well. Unlike my friend, GreenDooredBookshop- now there's an artist when it comes to the written knife. But the psychological breakdown of individuals... now there's an art form for an artist. Building relationships before decimating whatever hope characters have... no wonder authors have so much motivation to kill their characters.**

 **Anyways, I hope I didn't make Farayan's speech too confusing. It's surprisingly hard to write about two people inhabiting the same body. I could use two names, but where's the fun in that? Not to mention it would probably lose the value of being the same person, so I hope I made it clear as which "person" was speaking through Farayan's mouth.**

 **I'll see you all in another few days.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	26. Chapter 26: Me- Lie? Never

**AN: Last ten days of "Write a Novel Month". It's the final stretch- I can't believe that I've been keeping pace as well as I have.**

 **Also, fair warning for this chapter. This one's going to be one of the more... emotionally intense ones.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY in any capacity or make money from this.**

Chapter 26: Me- Lie? Never

Farayan's scream filled the small room, gasping and hissing as he dropped to his knees. His arms groped for the blade stuck in his side, finding the small handle to hold on to as, yanking the black blade out of his body. Blood flowed from the wound, staining the black shirt with a torrent of dark red that seeped through the black feather's edges.

He wasn't the only to scream, as Ruby's voice joined in. She rushed over to his side, squatting on her heels next to the injured boy. Hands reached out, too shaky to be of any use. Still, they reached out toward Farayan to help him.

"Get back," Farayan growled, gasping at the pain. "Don't touch me." And another spasm raced through his body, throwing Farayan onto his back. His fingers stymied the flow as best they could, all while he muttered "Give it a minute" under every breath.

She hated it with her entire being, but Ruby stayed back. Unsure of what to do, the reaper gripped the ground as she stared helplessly at her friend in pain. "Farayan?" Ruby pleaded.

"Shut up," the boy snapped. Deep breaths, he told himself. Looking away from the wound, Farayan clenched shut his mouth as he prepped for the inevitable. A sickening squelch sounded only for Farayan and Ruby, but the muffled scream that accompanied it was heard by the others. It took three tries, every time Farayan stopping to recover his hold on his mind. And with one last tug, the feather gave way, clattering to the ground as Farayan hurriedly clamped down on the wound.

Thank god he took control at the last moment- if Farayan had done what he intended, the knife would've gone through his heart. It was too late to stop it embedding in himself, but at least the second presence shifted the aim off to the side. "I'm gonna kill him," Farayan muttered to himself.

The screams died long ago, but heavy, tense air still filled the room. Farayan's deep breaths evened out, and he unclenched his eyelids that the boy didn't know he was holding shut. Hesitating a bit, he unclasped his hands to peek at the split pale skin. A sigh of relief escaped the boy; the wound was nothing more than a scab a few minutes of healing. Maybe in a day or two, all that would be left is a scar.

Right now, though, Farayan had a voice to silence. He closed his eyes again, but not to rest- he was still wide awake from a quick little stabbing. That human voice, the one screaming to stop in his head: Farayan threw that one into the corner of his mind. "Rule number two, Fary," the boy scolded aloud. "No harming the host."

"Oh," Ruby breathed. The disappointment in her voice was palpable. "It's you."

"Mhmm," Farayan hummed, sitting up with a groan. "Your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend," Ruby denied with a hidden blush.

"-decided that he didn't want to talk to you, or else he wouldn't have done that!" His voice rose to a yell at the end, like he was trying to be loud enough for someone in the next town to hear. As he got to his feet, Farayan grumbled, "Don't know why he did that."

Ruby resisted the urge to shove him. "You're trapping him in your body," Ruby snapped.

Farayan froze. "Oh, yeah. That's right." Then, he shrugged. "That makes more sense." Groaning with a pain in his side, the boy eased himself into one of the chairs at the table. "Sorry you had to see that," Farayan apologized to the shock-stricken teens. And the doctor, of course. "Farayan doesn't want to cooperate today."

"How can we trust you?"

Unused to being interrupted, Farayan turned to the blonde that glared back at him. "What?" he puzzled.

"How can we believe anything you say?" Yang reiterated. "For all we know, this could be a trap."

"If it was a trap, there would already be Grimm in this room mauling you," Farayan spoke as if it were a promise, a smile on his face that was too cheerful for how on edge it made Yang. "Want me to do so?" Without waiting for a response, Farayan let out a low whistle, almost like a howl.

The others whipped towards the door, weapons at the ready.

Barely a minute later, a Beowolf shoved its snout through the door, teeth barred and whimpering like a scolded dog. Farayan smiled, but it dropped when he noticed the weapons still trained on the monster. "Don't shoot," Farayan commanded. "It's mine."

The girls turned back to him, skeptical. "Sure," Yang drawled out for the four of them. A yip from the Grimm drew their attention back at the creature. Curious- the Beowolf had its head bowed, snarling at the newcomers. Yet, it dared not enter for whatever reason.

"Tiny," Farayan called out. The Grimm apparently called Tiny raised its gaze and stepped back. Perhaps it noticed that there were two Rubies. "You can go now." With a bark, the beast seemed to nod as it strolled away, in hunt of another morsel to hunt.

They were speechless, staring at the open door even when Farayan asked someone to close it. "Incredible," Oobleck stated in wonder. "It acts as if Farayan is the leader of their pack."

"Right in one." Farayan could not look any prouder at the doctor's assessment.

"But that shouldn't be possible."

"Because I'm human?" Farayan laughed at the thought, "It helps when you speak their language- took me a hundred or so years, but I got around to it."

"A hundred years?" Weiss took in the teen's body, raising an eyebrow at what she found. "Just how old are you?"

Farayan clicked his tongue, sighing at the question. "I lost count," he admitted. "Five-hundred something? A bit more, I think."

Five hundred… "So, you're one of those elder Grimm," Blake remarked.

"Nah, I'm a bit more advanced. Those poor things lost the Life Lottery, I'm afraid." Farayan shook his head. "They take at least a hundred years to learn to avoid attacking cities- imagine how long it takes for them to learn how to communicate at all."

"And another hundred to develop the capacity of forming packs," Oobleck added on.

A smile made its way onto Farayan's face. "It's nice having you here- I really don't want to explain all the Grimm stuff by myself." And to the girls, "I'll answer any questions for you, though. Just so long it doesn't break any deals I've made."

"Deals with who?" Yang blurted.

The hybrid-boy stared at the blonde, a condescending look in his eyes contrasting with the smile on his lips. "Why," he quipped, "Roman. My favorite human. Well," he whipped around to Ruby, "my second favorite."

"Roman… Roman Torchwick?"

Farayan craned his neck forward, allowing the crazed smile to stay as the rest of his face changed. "Now, Blondie," he chided. Red hair replaced black, green eyes for blue. "Who do you think I'm getting my info from?" Sleazy, arrogant tone, crazed smile, condescending tilt to his head- there was no doubt who Farayan was imitating.

Those pesky weapons, Farayan was getting tired of them. Especially when he had to stare down the barrels. "You wanted information," the Roman look-alike accused. "Where else am I getting it from?"

"You're working for them." Yang was debating why she hadn't pulled the trigger yet. The boy that broke her sister's heart while also mending it, working for those she was trying to rid of as he talked behind their back. "Why should we trust you?"

Scoffing, Farayan spread his arms out as if to show something important about the barren wall behind him. "I haven't lied to you yet," he informed as his features settled back to their original colors. "Any lies you've heard from me are the boy's thoughts- the actual Farayan. No, really." He read the skeptic looks his words induced. "I've only told the truth to you guys. Here, I'll give you a free one." Farayan turned to Blake.

"Adam wants to do more than kill you."

Time froze for the faunus, but her heart didn't get the memo. Blood flowed in her ears, drowning out Weiss's question. A chill settled on Blake's skin; her arm dropped to her side, the previously iron grip reduced to a limp hanging sword in her clammy hand. "H-how?" Blake stammered. "How do you know that?"

Yang's head spun to her partner- how many secrets were there today? "Blake?" she called out. This never happened- no, that wasn't true. They had this same instance happen the last time all five were together: back in the forest. Back at the start of the term, where Farayan revealed her heritage.

What could be so horrible for Blake's past that she acted like this?

"Blake," Yang called her name again. This time, the girl in question turned towards the sound. On instinct, it seemed. Not that she realized Yang said her name until Blake realized the concerned look she was receiving. "What is he talking about?"

The moisture escaped Blake's mouth, leaving a barren wasteland that words couldn't escape. "I… it…"

"I'm talking about the time Blake spent with the White Fang before she left," Farayan answered for her.

Bang.

Gunpowder filled the air, choking the room with a bitter smell so potent they could taste it. Half the gazes were on Blake, weapon shaking in her hand as smoke curled from the barrel buried in the hilt. The other half turned towards Farayan who was smirking. "Hey, look." he quipped. "I learn from mistakes." A new bullet hole tore his shirt a new opening, though no blood seeped out.

Instead, a white plate was shown under the black cloth, like armor. Or bone. "If you could stop being so trigger-happy," Farayan spoke.

"That- that's a lie." Breaths escaped Blake like how she wanted to escape right now. Escape the stares pinned on her; the knowing smirk Farayan had for her, the look of disgust on Weiss's face. The horrified look on Yang's face.

"Is it?" Farayan intoned. "Lying is for the weak- I'm strong enough to handle the truth. Are you?"

"Blake, what the hell?" Weiss yelled at her perpetrator. She had an explosive expression, and the worst part was, it was for her teammate. Not the monster of the room. "You worked for the White Fang?"

"Keyword: worked," Farayan offered.

"It doesn't matter, the fact is-"

"She saved lives."

Weiss spun around, about to fire off shouts and hisses. Her attempt was stopped by a simple stare, the intensity in Farayan's blue eyes in a complete reversal to his previously upbeat mood. "I don't like violence for no reason," Farayan stated. "And, from what Adam told me, neither does Blake. And that's why she left the White Fang." He leaned back in his chair, propping two feet up on the table. "And good riddance- at least one of those idiots is smart enough to know that violence isn't always the answer."

There was a conversation to be held with Blake, but now wasn't the time. "And you think it isn't?" Yang diverted before Weiss could continue her interrogation on the wrong person.

Taking his time, Farayan directed his focus on the brawler. "Oobleck," he sighed. "Do you want to explain that to Yang? We went over that, like, two minutes ago."

Yang shook her head. "Elder Grimm, learning not to attack cities, and all that stuff," she said.

"Thank you." Farayan surveyed the people around him: two girls ready to have an argument over faunus rights, one that was emotionally unstable around Farayan, one doctor, and the only level-headed girl. There was only one person to ask out of the group. "You have any questions, Ruby?"

The girl in question looked up at her name being called. "Hmm?"

"It's the only time we're going to be able to talk like this. So ask anything." Ruby went to blurt out a torrent of questions. "Only one right now, though. I'm giving you... mm... two or three questions since we're a bit tight on time."

"Why?" Ruby asked without thought. "What's going to happen?"

Farayan cocked his head. "Do you want to use a question for that?"

It only took Ruby a moment to decide. "Yes."

Disappointing, Farayan thought with a sigh. "There's a train underground that's about to invade Vale," he brushed off. "White Fang on the thing led by Roman, maybe someone else. They're going to lead Grimm into the heart of the city."

"What?" Five voices yelled in unison.

"We have to stop it," Yang declared.

"It's not leaving until nine," Farayan assured. And for some reason, they didn't look any calmer. "Plenty of time."

"A few hours is not a lot of time," Weiss deadpanned.

At that, the boy had to cock an eye. "We can eat dinner before you leave to stop it. And that still leaves us with a few hours to talk."

Still, their panicked expressions only lessened a bit. Weird, Farayan thought. In the wild, four hours was so much time to escape or kill or gather. Maybe humans had something different when it came to time? Farayan shook his head to clear his mind. "Well, who wants to ask next?"

"What else are you hiding from us?" Ruby blurted.

That was the question Farayan was waiting for- and from Ruby, no less. "Why do you think I'm hiding something?"

"You're excited now- you wouldn't be if you had nothing else to say."

He giggled, clapping his hands like a kid receiving presents. "Anyone parched?" Farayan suddenly asked. A complete deviation from the question at hand. Without waiting for an answer, he pushed himself away from the table and onto his feet. In five strides, he was bent over the cooler, pulling out bottles before replacing them back in the box. "Talking dries out the throat. Here." Farayan tossed a bottle, under-handed, towards Ruby.

On instinct, Ruby caught the red bottle and turned it to look at the label on the front. She took in a deep breath.

It was Their drink.

Ruby's and Ash's- the red shandy that had flakes of black, thick with red and the taste of iron. How familiar the bottle felt in her hand, and- when she uncapped the bottle for a whiff- the same, biting aroma. "Where-?" she started to ask.

"Where do you think?" Farayan smiled.

There was an easy answer- that Farayan and Ash just liked the same drink. But there were no easy answers that were right, not from the knowing look in Farayan's eyes. No, Ruby's breaths quickened and seized at the same time, taking in too much and too little air at once. Her mind whirled at the implication. It wasn't like Ash to do that, but Farayan…

Ruby shook her head, almost dropping the bottle with how weak her hands felt. "Yes?" Farayan inquired.

With bated breath, Ruby looked at the boy with fear in her eyes. Dread and disgust, yet there was somehow hope that it was true. "Ash?" she whispered.

That damned smile. Without taking his eyes off hers, Farayan began to change again. Long black hair and blue eyes, now short blonde hair and red eyes. Shoulders just a bit closer and his height shortening to Ruby's. "Farayan's really sorry," Farayan quipped in Ash's voice.

Ruby felt a crack. Invisible to her team and to Ash- no, Farayan. Invisible to those that couldn't see inside Ruby. But they could see the effects as the bottle slipped from Ruby's limp hand. The crash that followed sounded muted, deafened by layers of blood in Ruby's ears.

Her two best friends, the ones that pulled her from life's cruel nature for adventures and a chance to be lost in delirium- they were the same. The same, sad boy trapped with a monster.

She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Crescent Rose unfolded under her touch; she desperately needed something to lean on, planting the back end into the ground as she supported her weak body on the frame. "You…" Ruby croaked, her voice aging a few decades in the span of minutes. "You can't be the same."

Ash smirked. And Ruby backed away, falling on her rear as she continued crawling away from the monster, scythe all but forgotten. He never smirked. Smile, grin, frown- never smirk. That was Farayan's expression, not Ash's. "Oh, but I can," Ash's voice purred from a monster's body. He didn't need that bubbling effect or the time to shift his features, evident as he cycled back and forth through Ruby's favorite two faces without a pause.

"You know, I've never had the chance to say this," Farayan said with Farayan's face. His face continued to cycle while he walked at Ruby's pace, standing just a few inches away when her back pressed against a wall.

Ruby looked in horror as the boy squatted down, a quick shift back to Ash's face just for his fun. "Neither have I." There was a forceful bite in his word, like everything he said was of utmost importance.

"Ruby, he loves you."

"Shut up!" Ruby held her head in close to her chest, arms wrapped around as she pulled on her hair like she hoped the memories would fall out with her hair. "Stop it!"

The boy ran a finger over a stray lock of hair, pushing it back before it bounced back to its original position. Ruby swore that the light brush against her skin was intentional, and she shuddered at the touch before flinching away. "He saw how lonely you were," he murmured. "Naturally, I couldn't let him look like Farayan in public, and he insisted not to look like you whenever I was around you."

"I said shut up!" Ruby threw her arms forward, hoping to blindly push the boy away. She found satisfaction when her hands felt a body, shoving it as hard as possible and receiving a satisfying thud. That moment didn't last, as empathy replaced satisfaction. But she wasn't supposed to feel sympathetic to a person that manipulated like this, nor could she find herself to hate Farayan for trying to look after her. "Give him back," Ruby whispered into her arms now covering her face. Her sleeves started to wet under her eyes.

Ruby hadn't realized she was crying until the first sob wracked her body. "Go away," she cried.

From her perceived darkness, Farayan's voice spoke in little more than a whisper. "Are you saying that to me or your friend?"

For that, the girl didn't have an answer. Head still buried in her arms, Ruby curled up into a ball and cried to her heart's content. Ugly tears and strangled breaths escaped her as she tried to accept it- that her best friend was a manipulative boy that toyed with her emotions like they were a trinket.

Farayan frowned. "Stop crying," he chided. "You're making Farayan sad." He didn't want to deal with these emotions right now. There was supposed to be satisfaction, watching Ruby break under her mind's weight. Yet, his partner's stupid emotions kept interfering, even when Farayan tried to squash them down. He scowled. Amazing- Farayan couldn't even happy despite the intoxicating emotions radiating off Ruby. Fear, horror, sadness, betrayal. He inhaled it all, emotions potent enough to attract any Grimm in Vale. And he couldn't find any happiness for himself in the girl's negativity.

While he was distracted, Farayan failed to notice the other girls moving. Weiss kicked him away, the force of which sent him across the room and into the concrete wall. Yang and Blake crouched next to Ruby, desperately trying to calm her. Ruby flailed under their touch, slapping away soothing hands and shouting at their reassuring words.

The ringing in Farayan's ears faded, a symptom of having his brain bashed against the rocky floor. Fading just in time for him to catch the words Weiss spat out. "I trusted you!" There was a difference between seething and cold anger; between Yang's death-glare and Weiss's icy daggers shooting from her eyes. Instead of radiating a brilliant, fiery aura, the heiress seemed to suck in all the heat from her surroundings. Same result, but Farayan felt colder under her gaze, freezing and not being set on edge.

He grinned. If Weiss could make him feel like this, he was giddy for what was in store down the road.

"Ruby trusted you!" Weiss continued to spit venom. Her knuckles were white against the silver hilt of her rapier, the tip of which shuddered from how hard her grip was. "You promised to keep her happy." The heiress raised her weapon, the tip hovering atoms away from Farayan's throat. "And you broke it." Weiss's breaths came out in heavy shudders, ready to impale the boy grinning under her stare. "Give me one good reason for why I shouldn't kill you."

Farayan shrugged. "You'd kill half of Vale's population as well. How's that? Plus, I don't think Ruby would want you to kill me in cold blood." He looked past the white dress, craning his neck to the side to see Ruby's balled figure. Her entire body tensed at the sound of her name being called by… by him. "Isn't that right?" Farayan called out.

Cold steel pressed down on his throat, just enough for a few droplets to leak out. Farayan wasn't worried over that- it would heal easily. What he was worried about was the resolute look in Weiss's eyes. Maybe he miscalculated; maybe his games went too far. "You don't talk to her," Weiss commanded. "And frankly, I'd be doing Vale a favor from ridding you."

"Don't."

There was only one voice in this scenario that could make Weiss pause. She turned around to see Ruby wiping another trail of tears from her eyes. "Don't," Ruby repeated in her small voice.

"Ruby…" Weiss's voice softened considerably, but with a shake of her head, the scowl returned, along with a look of indignance. "He's trying to break you," Weiss stated. "Why are you still defending him?"

Ruby sniffed back a noseful of teary snot before she spoke. "We can't kill him. He… Farayan still has information." Her voice strained at his name, a pain to even say.

While Weiss looked back, discombobulated beyond what she thought was possible, Farayan gave Ruby a hard stare. "You're not saying something," he piped up. "I'm being honest here- why can't you be?"

Now was the time, with everyone distracted by Ruby's squirms. With a bone-plated finger, the boy gripped the metal point under his chin and moved it away from his windpipe. At least, he tried, but Weiss's hold on her weapon was stronger than he thought. Farayan sighed- breaking it off wasn't a possibility, either. The shrapnel might not go in his favor. It looked like he was going to have to sit there for a bit longer.

Or, you know, armor up his neck. But where was the fun in that?

After a minute of silence, Ruby spoke again, her voice barely making it across the room before it died. "Farayan doesn't deserve to die."

"Are you serious?" Weiss shouted at her partner. "He's the one that-"

"The Grimm deserves to die," Ruby went on. Weiss clamped down on her tongue; shouting wouldn't help her partner. "Not Farayan. Never Farayan."

"They're the same person," Weiss argued. "Surely you can see that?"

Ruby shook her head so violently that the others began to worry. "They're not," she shot back. Her voice started to rise to a normal level. "Farayan doesn't want to hurt me."

Farayan snapped his fingers, pointing his fingers at the girl. "That's true," he affirmed. "Everything he's done is for Ruby."

That wasn't the time for the boy to throw his hat in the ring. "You," Weiss growled, eyes boring into Farayan's soul. "No talking." She turned back to her partner, eyes losing the edge but not the intensity. "Why are you defending him, though? They inhabit the same body! If we can end this Grimm right now-"

A hand clamped on Weiss's shoulder. She whipped towards the source, a snap ready to be released. It died in her throat when she realized Oobleck was standing over her, an unreadable expression from behind those glasses. "Weiss," he said in a controlled tone. "He is still useful to us."

"Professor-"

"Weiss," Oobleck said with more force. The girl shrunk back under his gaze. "This is not how a Huntress acts." Weiss looked away, unable to look at anyone. "Right now, Farayan may have crucial information detrimental to find out who he works with."

For a minute, it seemed as if Weiss was still going to swipe her blade at the boy. A quick twitch and his windpipe would've been cut. But she let out a strangled cry, stomping away back to the rest of her team.

They would have to play to Farayan's tune for now. All five glared at the boy who looked back with a grin. Not carefree, but the grin of someone who knew exactly what was happening. "Thank you, Doctor," Farayan said to the man. "Now, what would you like to know?"

Oobleck hovered over the boy, looking as if he was ready to spear him at any time with his weapon. "Everything."

"Can't do that. Gives away too much."

And Farayan found himself again with a weapon at his neck, this time with a flaming point. "And why is that?" Oobleck asked.

"You get to know about the invasion," Farayan answered. "And the train, and also how the White Fang are in on the plot because of the Queen's influence." Oobleck stiffened at the name, obviously set on learning everything about this woman. "You don't learn names, though."

"Why?" Oobleck demanded.

Farayan grinned despite the venom the others sent with their eyes. "Because you're not the only one whose fun I want to ruin."

Was Oobleck satisfied with the answer? No, but this was probably the most he was going to receive from the informant. Lowering his weapon, Oobleck motioned toward the table filled with plans. "Tell me everything you can."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"And there are a couple holes in your security for the Vytal Festival," Farayan ended. "Might want to patch those up."

A grueling hour later, Farayan covered the last of his info for the group. Many dirty looks were cast his way, especially whenever he would stop elaborating on crucial details. Names still were unnamed, people remained hidden, and Farayan continued to tease the girls in the worst way possible.

"So, Ruby. You never answered me- the movies or festival on our next date?"

"Can it, Grimm," Yang spat.

Farayan leaned back in his seat, hands locking behind his head as he relaxed. "Now, Yang," he chided. "No name-calling. We're all friends here." At that, five sets of eyes glared at him. "No?" he asked earnestly. "Okay then."

Oobleck perused the notes he'd been taking throughout the hour, the side of his smudged with shiny-gray lead from rubbing against the page too often. "The train," he muttered to himself, "final invasion, approximate amount of forces, locations of interest-"

"Ruby's friend wanted to leave the decision up to you, Doc," Farayan spoke, pointing to his own head to show whose idea it was. "And I agreed- I don't know how much you can get away with preparation before the Queen gets suspicious."

With a nod, Oobleck pocketed the notepad as he turned towards Team RWBY. "I believe we have a train to catch," he announced.

"Not yet," Farayan replied. "We've got… actually, how much time do we have left?"

Yang was the first with her Scroll out, the screen flickering blue before the locked screen came. "Half an hour," she answered.

Farayan nodded. "We've got time. You can ask me another question, then." Yang looked up, perplexed. "I gave you all a chance to ask me anything," he explained. "Now it's your turn."

She thought about it for a minute. The blonde bit back a sarcastic remark, too full of hatred of the boy for any joke. And another, and the next three that threatened to use her question. Finally, Yang asked, "Why my sister? How come you're so interested in Ruby?"

A sigh escaped Farayan. "That's a long answer," he admitted.

"Like you said: we've got time."

Farayan clicked his tongue, glancing at the others. All looked back- especially Ruby- with curiosity overriding the animosity between the boy and them. "You've got silver eyes," Farayan spoke.

Ruby blinked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

The long explanation was needed, then. "My… boss. She's interested in your Maiden and a few other fairy tales."

Oobleck sucked in his breath. "How do you know about her?"

"She's the one that stole her powers." Farayan shrugged- none of his business with what his "boss" wanted with Maiden powers. "Anyway, the woman's obsessed with fairy tales. Me?" His eyes locked with Ruby's silver ones, loving the chill that ran down Ruby's body. "I'm interested in legends."

He went on before any of the others could interrupt. "Fairy tales- they're ancient news. Legends, on the other hand, they need some merit. The Phoenix, for example." Farayan turned towards Oobleck. "You know what I'm talking about?"

The good doctor nodded. "A Nevermore said to have fire-like properties," he replied easily. "But they're myths."

"Legends," Farayan corrected. "And there's the legend of Silver-Eyed Warriors.

"The warriors of old, the first to fight against Grimm some millennia ago. Said to have hearts pure enough to cleanse Grimm from Remnant." At this, Farayan turned towards Ruby with a look of playful disbelief. As if to say, "Can you believe it?" "But, they were the rallying force. Every time a silver-eyed warrior comes up in history, there's always a peaceful era. Incorruptible, they say. With an indomitable spirit."

It was a nice tale, but they were losing time and patience. "What does this have to do with you, though?" Yang interrupted.

Farayan looked at her like she was insane. "I'm testing a legend," he remarked. "I want to see if they're true or not." he turned his attention back to a shocked Ruby, analyzing her like a test subject. "Is it working?"

She didn't answer, leaving the boy to shake his head. People broke too easily. "Ozpin can probably tell you more," Farayan ended. "He's the type of guy to chase fairy tales."

With everything covered, the group was left in an awkward silence, the air thick enough to mistaken it as a standoff and not a gathering. Should they thank Farayan? His information was invaluable, sure.

But with the damage he did, could they ignore it?

Yang glanced down at her Scroll and breathed a sigh of relief- it was saying something bad that rushing out to stop a runaway train, as Farayan called it, was preferable to this mess. "Time's up," Yang announced, pocketing the device. "We have to go now."

The group filed out the door with Yang the last in line. Oobleck and the others were out the door, ready to run to the place Farayan mentioned, and Yang was supposed to follow. One hand about to close the door behind her, she paused. On second thought, Yang went back inside. Farayan was not expecting this, as his head was tilted up while he conversed with the voices in his mind.

He saw the fist too late. Farayan went sprawling out of his chair, clutching his jaw as he tried not to scream. Yep, something was definitely broken. Writhing back and forth, he was in too much pain to see the murderous look in Yang's eyes. Maybe she wasn't allowed to kill the monster in front of her, but that didn't mean she couldn't do anything to him.

Yang crouched over Farayan's body, not a glimmer of remorse in her lilac eyes. "That's for Ruby." Message sent, she got up and left the boy there. Closing the door behind herself, Yang turned around to find her friends' eyes on her. Ruby was the lone person that looked as if she wanted to yell at her sister. The others- they appeared to be on the verge of congratulating her.

Yang couldn't look at her sister without her heart clenching. Ruby was supposed to be her sweet, innocent, baby sister. The girl with a constant smile and an unhatable attitude. This… this was just a hollow shell compared to a year ago. "He deserved it," Yang articulated, trying to convince Ruby with her statement.

Not even Oobleck reprimanded Yang for her violent decision, yet Ruby still shifted on her feet. Indecisive.

But they didn't have the time to worry over it- not at the moment. With a nod of his head, Oobleck lead the team down the street, muttering the directions Farayan had given them under his breath. No one said it, but all five minds were fixed on their horrific afternoon. There was an unspoken agreement- leave it all for after the missions. Though, it was so much easier said than done.

At least there was something that took their minds off it. Right now, they had a train to stop.

 **AN: Time to make or break my characters! Hello, it's fireflame. Still going to have to give a nice "thank you" to ThatGreenDooredBookshop for editing this wave of chapters for November. You are an amazing friend, let me tell you.**

 **Back to the chapter. Yeah, this is the style of writing I'm the most comfortable with. Which, in hindsight, is a bit concerning. Dates? You've lost me. Emotionally breaking characters? Now we're talking.**

 **But I've been saving this moment for about a year now- just scheming and finding out how to write this section. And I'm still not entirely satisfied how it turned out, but it's much better than what I had originally. I used to have a separate arc resolved in this chapter, but I just scrapped the idea a chapter ago. Thank god I did that. And thank TGDB for talking me out of it.**

 **So, Ruby's breaking mentally. Best friends being complete liars hurts. But Farayan's not dying soon. He's got too much of an important role.**

 **There's going to be a bit of a time-skip next chapter. Mainly because I don't want to rewrite the Train Scene we all know, just with like 3 tweaks to plot and dialogue. I don't see a point in doing that, so I'll spare my readers from reading that.**

 **Real quick, I'm also going to thank Disabled-doctor for reviewing. Even if it is one word. I was getting a bit scared that no one was really paying attention to my story. So thanks.**

 **Anyways, that's about it. Signing off,**

 **Flames of Fire.**


	27. Chapter 27: Breaching and Breaking

**AN: Hey, this is a day late. Not gonna lie- Thanksgiving Break has destroyed a couple of my schedules, and I'm trying to get back into rhythm. But, that's no excuse to stop writing. So here is this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or anything like that. I'm not RT.**

Chapter 27: Breaching and Breaking

Ruby was tired of everything. The past twenty-four hours drained any sense of feeling out of her body, leaving her numb as she walked through the ruined streets of Vale.

They failed to stop the train. Even with Farayan's warning, even with time to rest and prepare with the knowledge of what was about to happen- they still allowed the train to barrel through the closed exit. Weiss's ice broke under the sheer force of the speeding train, and no one had any illusion that they could slow the train without a break system. Still…

The outcome wasn't as horrible as it could have been. Ruby reminisced sneaking onboard, the way they had disabled half the bombs on the carts before the White Fang knew any better. So when they took off, there was a distinct lack of explosions as the carts detached. The pour of Grimm stymied, finally drawing the attention of the terrorists.

And Roman- Ruby couldn't forget the look of outrage when he stared at the infiltration group running across the cart tops. Wave after wave of White Fang came, and RWBY fought their way towards the front of the train. And at the locomotive, four people awaited them. Roman, the two White Fang members assumed as their leaders, and Roman's little helper- Neo.

Farayan expressed his disappointment that Roman and Neo were on that train, back during his debriefing. His two best friends, the monster called them. He regretted that Roman had to be sacrificed for the plan, but at least Neo would manage to escape.

And by sacrifice, Farayan may have meant tying Roman and the White Fang leaders- no chance to escape.

Ruby's group couldn't get rid of all the bombs, to their dismay. And when the train crashed through Vale's main square, Grimm still poured in by the hundreds. The only silver lining to it was how it could've been worse, though no one voiced it in case of a jinx.

The battle of the Breach: calling it a battle may have been overstating. It was more like a Grimm massacre. With the monsters funneled through a single tunnel and nearby Atlesian soldiers patrolling the streets, the Beacon students were able to fend off the faster Grimm as reinforcements came for both sides.

Only one side was heavily armed.

Ammo shells littered the streets. Burn marks scorched the stone and grass, blackening the areas that didn't have claw marks or sword slashes embedded in the concrete. Smoke, gunpowder, and Grimm remains floated away in the red sky, illuminating as the sun peeked up after the carnage.

In the end, Ruby was thankful the plan went as smoothly as it did. No Grimm made it more than a few hundred feet from the exit, cut down by Hunters and Atlesian bots. Professor Goodwitch had the hole patched with a flick of her crop, leaving the only signs of battle as scratches in the pavement. Though, not everything went perfectly.

Six people died.

The shops nearest to the hole didn't survive the onslaught of Grimm, and the poor owners opening for the day suffered horrible fates. Along with two early-bird citizens that tried to help usher others indoors as the fighting began.

That image of the bodies bloodied and bruised- it remained seared in Ruby's mind. No one blamed her for spilling her stomach's contents at the sight of the couple laying in the middle of the sidewalk, a pool of scarlet red spreading under them. White sheets were thrown over them as medics carted them away, but it did little to help Ruby forget.

Even with all that preparation, with all of Farayan's information- it wasn't enough.

Ruby knew she was being harsh on herself. The rest of her team knew it too, giving their youngest member multiple hugs and whispers of encouragement. They didn't help.

Scratch-less and unbruised, Ruby felt battered and numb. The physical exertion was the least of her worries. With the fighting done and crisis averted, Ruby wanted to be alone with her thoughts. It was hard separating herself from her sister's insistence to not leave her side. But a combination of slinking in shadows and bursts of speed gave Ruby the privacy she wanted.

And now she was here, resting on the top of the dorms with her feet dangling over the side. With the sun rising behind her, Ruby took in the view of the Emerald Forest. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she'd gone into that forest, in search for Farayan for the first time. Then, _another_ lifetime ago, Ruby remembered her first time in the Emerald Forest: Initiation.

Why couldn't things be simple like back then? Ruby sighed as her heart dropped to her stomach. A sadness swelled up in Ruby- cold and a deep shock to her system. But it died as quickly as it came. Not because Ruby got over it so easily, though.

No, Ruby was too tired for emotions.

She went up there to find solace, any emotion to jumpstart herself. Pain, fear, anger, happiness, hope. Something- anything- that could warm Ruby up. But, her heart remained cold, running on its own rhythm as a coping mechanism for… for…

Ruby sighed. There were so many things wrong. Simply _wrong_ with that night. Farayan still cared for her, but he lied to try to help; Ash and Farayan are the same people; Ruby was one of Farayan's main interests. The monster inside decided that Ruby's heritage was intriguing enough to be a fixture of his life.

Maybe she was lying to herself before- Ruby felt nothing as her mind flew over horrible thought after horrible thought, eyes still fixated on the horizon. Her body was going on auto-pilot, taking in the scenery without so much as a blink. And, when her Scroll buzzed to life beside her, Ruby stared at it for a long while, staring at the caller's name without recognition.

On the last ring, Ruby reached over and accepted the call against her mind's wishes. Or maybe against her heart's wishes, as the poor girl's mind desired to shut down. "Hello?" Ruby called out. Her voice sounded muddy and far away like it was a hundred feet away instead of half a foot away from her ears.

"Ruby," she heard Yang exclaim on the other side of the line. "Where are you?"

"Go away," Ruby said to the Scroll. An argument was the last thing Ruby wanted right now, followed closely by a berating and "deep sympathies". All three of which would probably happen if Yang found her.

"Ruby, we talked about this. Now, are you still in Beacon?"

Reluctantly, Ruby answered. "Yes."

The reaper could hear a sigh of relief from the other end. "That's good. Ruby, we're coming to get you."

"I want to be alone," Ruby snapped back.

"No, you don't."

Why was it Yang's job to decide what was good for Ruby? It was her body! "I want to be alone."

"You want to mope," Yang corrected. "And right now, that's the worst time to be alone. Now, where are you, sis?" Silence on both ends. "I promise I won't talk about anything," Yang said in no more than a whisper.

Touching, but Ruby decided to follow her heart instead of her sister this time. "I'm on top of the dorm," she said.

A jolt ran through her system. No, that's not what she wanted to say! But with how detached her emotions and body were, Ruby's mouth didn't receive the same instructions.

She heard Yang sigh, an audible smile seemingly passing through the Scroll. "Thanks, sis." No, no, no! Ruby wanted to be alone, not for her sister to worry over her. Maybe she could move somewhere else instead. The trees- she could hide in the leaves. At the very least, the girl could vacate the roof. Find somewhere more comfortable to sit.

But when she made to move, her body remained planted. The panic she felt was washed over by that overwhelming numbness. Any stimulation would help- Ruby just wanted it to go away.

Ruby's mind debated for a long time, her thoughts chaotic and stagnant in her head. So long that Ruby couldn't find the time to run away as Yang made her way over, sitting cautiously beside her sister. "Hi, sis."

Yang was prepared when her sister tackled her in a hug, the younger girl's arms held around Yang's neck in a chokingly-tight hold. The blonde pulled them both away from the ledge. Neither had to say a word- even without their sisterly bond, the two knew enough about each other to know what they would have said. Unnecessary, reassuring, blatant lies. So they sat there in silence as Ruby wept silently into the blonde's shoulder.

And through the haze of numbness, Ruby had a small revelation.

She wasn't numb because of a lack of emotions. The poor girl had too much bottled up- too much despair and anger .

It hurt Yang to see her sister so broken, so defeated. Her shoulder was drenched with unshed tears, her arm numbing with the tight grip Ruby had. Any way to make Ruby comfortable, Yang was going to take it. Because a comfortable Ruby was an open one. "You loved him, didn't you?" Yang murmured in her ear.

Ruby nodded into her sister's shoulder.

"He was always there for you."

She nodded again.

And Yang decided to risk it. "Do you… hate him?"

She didn't receive an answer for a long time. For now, Ruby had audible weeps, wrinkling Yang's jacket under her scrunched fingers. Yang sighed as she continued to hold the girl in red and rubbed small circles into her back, rocking themselves back and forth as they had done all those years ago. Like they had back then when their dad crumbled and the sisters were on their own.

Back when Ruby didn't understand why Mom wasn't coming home.

History repeated itself, and Yang wished it never did. Farayan was Ruby's new tragedy, and this time she knew it was happening. "He lied to you, you know?" Yang wondered aloud, feeling Ruby tense under her arms.

After a moment, the girl relaxed. "Farayan never told lies," Ruby sniffed.

"He never told you the truth," Yang scowled. Then she remembered how she was supposed to be calm- for Ruby's sake. In a softer voice: "He mislead you into trusting him."

For that, Ruby had no answer. A door swung open behind them, and Yang craned her neck around to see who dared to interrupt them. She didn't know she was glaring, but it relaxed when she spotted the black bow and the white dress. Discretely and without Ruby's knowledge, Yang put a finger to her lips, laying her chin on her sister's head while she gave Blake and Weiss a pointed look.

They didn't need any explanation. The girls gathered around Ruby, wrapping their arms against Ruby's thin frame. With them around, Ruby finally smiled. The numbness vacated her chest, leaving a void for emotion to fill. Ruby was fortunate that her friends were there to fill it with anything of their choosing, and they chose comfort. Tears kept falling from her eyes, but it ebbed away to a few drops that Ruby brushed away with Yang's jacket.

Ruby felt a head drop on her right shoulder, the person shifted a bit as their arms went around Ruby's stomach. Ruby giggled as the girl's white hair brushed across her forehead. "You're so sweet, Weiss."

"Shut up, dolt." The bite was noticeably absent in Weiss's tone, replaced by mirth in an uncharacteristically soft voice. Silence hung for an instant before Ruby giggled again. Soon, the single giggle grew into four hysterical laughs as the girls clung to each other. Not in comfort, but how Ruby was going back to normal. The edge in her posture disappeared, and she was supporting herself on Yang else she fall over from laughing too hard.

Farayan wouldn't win today- his little plaything wouldn't break any time soon. Not with her team's support.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

The day following the Breach, life began to normalize again. The main square was still quarantined and investigated. A small outpost hung above a new tunnel, much smaller than the one the runaway train had made. The people of Vale just walked around the area, trying to go on with their lives. Though, that didn't stop most of them from taking pictures of the incident.

But there was one woman outright furious by the disaster- the disaster of the plan, that is. The dark-haired woman stormed into the abandoned warehouse, teaming with activity. The first worker that caught sight of her stopped, box still in his hands while his jaw dropped at the sight. Even in her rage, Cinder wasn't distracted enough not to notice. "What?" she snapped at the poor faunus.

He almost dropped the box when he jumped at Cinder's voice. "F-forgive me, ma'am," the man stuttered. He knew exactly what would happen if he was out of line- with Roman arrested and Cinder taking the reins, they were going to have to be a lot more careful with how they worked. "But, we just saw you go to your office. So, how-?"

He didn't finish his sentence before Cinder stormed off again at a much brisker pace. She had a sneaking suspicion for who was to blame for everything, and- indirectly- it was her fault in the end.

That was a mistake she was going to correct. The woman growled under her breath- she should've just left the boy to die in Atlas. But the potential he had was too much to pass up. It was a shame that he turned out to be against Cinder's cause as much as he was against Ozpin's.

Reaching her office door, Cinder noted that it was left cracked open. Something she never did. Rage building, she kicked open the door and found… herself. Sitting at her desk. But in a familiar black outfit she'd personally bought for her asset. "What have you done?" Cinder growled at her look-alike.

The Cinder at the desk grinned, taking her feet off the metal table while still leaning back in the chair. "What do you mean?" she retorted in the same silky tone.

Cinder- the real one- now understood just how aggravating that tone was. "You know what I mean, Ash," she spat.

Rolling his eyes, Ash transformed back to his regular body. Boyish features replaced the delicate ones, hair shedding as it was replaced instantly by a new, darker black hair that didn't fall quite as far as before. "I really don't," Ash admitted. "What did I do?"

"Mountain Glenn. How exactly did you let those four kids infiltrate our plans perfectly?" Cinder leaned across the table, a foot away from Ash's face with a stare that could crush bone. "You helped your little girlfriend, didn't you?" she accused.

"Not my girlfriend," Ash corrected. "She's Farayan's ex." Like he heard another voice, Ash tilted his head to the side, rolling his eyes as the invisible voice chided him. "Well, what else would you call her?" Ash intoned, sarcasm dripping off his words. "She's certainly not your friend anymore."

"So you did meet them," Cinder noted as anger continued to seep in her voice. "You sabotaged us."

Ash raised an eyebrow at her, now focused on the person in real life rather than the one in his brain. "Us?" he echoed.

"Dammit, Ash!" Cinder slammed her hands against the desk, metal wobbling and ringing underneath the pressure of papers strewn throughout the surface. "I own you," Cinder hissed at the boy. "You owe your life to me."

"No, I don't."

"I saved your life!"

Ash begrudgingly nodded. "Sure, but that doesn't mean you own me." Cinder glared at him, ready to tear into him as he went on. "What do you think I care if you saved my life? That I'd have a 'life debt' to you or something?" He scoffed. "You're smarter than this."

The corner of Cinder's eye twitched along with her fingers, held firmly to her side. And without a word, she lashed out. One arm was thrown forward as flames spewed from her palm, the golden patterns along her dress flared to life and threw more power into the fire that consumed Ash. She was rather careful to not burn anything important on the desk, but everything past that- including Ash- was engulfed with a torrent of red and gold.

After a few seconds, Cinder tore her arm away, her chest heaving with deep breaths. The sight of her fire, the way it danced and spread as tendrils lashed out at everything in its path- using her powers was a nice way to calm down. Especially when it was used against the thing causing her ire.

But as the fire stopped smoldering and the smoke cleared, her satisfied stare morphed into a startled one. "Are you done?" Ash's pale face stared back through the black fog, more annoyed than hurt.

Cinder took a step back, arm up and ready to defend herself. "But- how?" she stammered.

The rest of the smoke cleared away into the vents above, revealing Ash's body. His entire body- the fire burned off the majority of his clothes, leaving a few charred remains of his pants and shirt. And underneath the scraps, a thick layer of fur covered every inch of Ash's skin up to his neck. From how burn-free his face was, the fur was not needed- he merely did it for Cinder's sake.

"I never understood your fascination with the Maidens," Ash spoke as if nothing ever happened. He inspected his hand- five slender fingers with bone-like claws jutting from each fingertip. "What's your endgame?" Ash asked. "Kill Grimm? Put humanity under your thumb? I don't understand you."

Cinder was speechless. Her greatest on-hand weapon was made useless by Ash's physique. And, based off his daring look, she could assume that cutting through that fur was much harder than it appeared. So physical threats wouldn't work- at least she had Ruby held over Ash's head. No sticks, then; Cinder would have to rely on her carrot to keep the loose cannon on her side.

Since she wasn't being attacked right now, the woman had to assume Ash was still with her. And she played along. "You're old enough to know the story," Cinder sniffed. "About the Maidens and the vaults they protect."

"Ah, right." Ash nodded. "The vaults, containing a relic that houses some of the most dangerous weapons. Some stories say they have the power to reshape the world." If he could, Ash's eyes would have rolled to the back of his head. "You're insane."

"Excuse me?"

"There's no such thing," Ash exclaimed with a laugh. He spread his arms out wide. "Look at me- five-hundred years old. You think I didn't hear these stories from travelers? That I never tried to track them down?" The boy shook his head. "Nah, you're chasing a fairy tale."

The glare Cinder shot at him was dangerous enough to burn him to a crisp. But seeing as how that was near impossible, she lashed at him with words. "And you tell me this now? You've been holding this information for months instead of telling me?"

"You only said you were after the Maiden," Ash explained as he shrugged. "I never thought you were dumb enough to believe that the vaults were real, too."

"I believed they were real, as the two stories are intertwined."

"Then you're an idiot." Ash watched as Cinder's eye twitched, so aggravated at his blatant disrespect yet unable to do anything about it. "A weapon to shape life itself- how did you not think it was too good to be true?"

"The vaults could only be opened by a Maiden," Cinder snapped. "Maybe that's why you never found them."

All she received was a disappointed shake of Ash's head. "Sweetheart," he started in Cinder's silky, condescending voice. "You're smarter than this."

Cinder had enough of this conversation. "And you should know that your little stunt didn't escape me," she scowled. "You must have told them about the train."

Ash grinned. "Guilty as charged."

"Why?" Cinder demanded. Her hand shook by her side, desperate to hurt the infuriating boy in front of her, but she knew that nothing would work.

With a tilt to his head, Ash tapped the side of his head. "The boy's got some good ideas," he admitted. "One of which was that your plan isn't really my style."

…A thirteen-year-old mind was what turned Cinder's strongest asset into the biggest thorn in her side. "Spreading chaos and panic," she tried to clarify. "That's not your style?"

Ash looked almost sorry for his "boss", sucking a breath through his teeth. "Well, I do love that idea," he admitted. "But I'm not like a mindless Grimm. That's just a usual bonus for what I love."

"Which is?"

"Your rule's gonna stagnant." Ash paused, looking up to ask a hidden voice. "Right, Fary? I'm using that word correctly?"

Cinder's eyebrow rose at Ash's statement. "How so?" It might be interesting to learn how Ash and Farayan thought together.

Two feet plopped up on the metal table as Ash leaned back, getting comfortable for what he knew was going to be a long chat. "Say you do take over Vale," Ash started.

"We're planning the entirety of Remnant," Cinder reminded.

"Not without that imaginary relic, you aren't. So, Vale's the most you're going to get. The people are going to either bend to you, escape, or die. So I get no one to toy with or… what's the word? Absorb their powers?"

Cinder crossed her arms. "The other kingdoms would try and take Vale back," she promised. "And with your help, we can fend them off."

"No, they won't."

Surprised at how quickly Ash answered, Cinder blinked for a few moments. "Yes, they-"

"Nope," Ash denied again. "I know enough about humans to tell you one thing." He leaned forward, a sinister gleam in his eyes as he grinned at the woman. "You're all so selfish." Silence hung in the air for a moment, tension building under their stare-down. "Well," Ash relented. "Maybe they'll tighten their borders, maybe Atlas and Vacuo and Mistral will combine forces, so it won't happen again. But, Farayan agrees that they wouldn't help Vale."

Amber eyes bore into Ash's dark-red ones. "And how would he know?" she demanded.

Ash grinned at the question. "It's nice to have a mini-historian in your mind at all times," he intoned. Before Cinder could shoot off another retort, Ash got to his feet, clasping his hands behind his back. "And he doesn't want any part of your plan. But I might."

A bargain, then. Cinder narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?" she demanded.

Grinning, Ash bounced on the balls of his feet. The hook was in- all he had to do was get the woman on board, and everything could go as they'd planned. "Roman Torchwick," the Grimm named his price. "I want him free by the time we do the major attack. Or during it- I don't care."

She didn't have to even think before her answer was on her lips. "No," Cinder replied.

Now it was Ash's turn to look startled which Cinder took immense pleasure in seeing. "No?" he repeated.

"I will not jeopardize the mission because of a criminal you like." Cinder's expression turned haughty, a smirk making its way on her lips under Ash's glare. Good- she'd touched a nerve. "He'll be held in Atlas's custody," Cinder assumed, "in a cell where I don't know, on an airship with the tightest security Atlas can buy. And you want me to use resources to break him out?"

"Yep."

Cinder scoffed. "What can you possibly give me?"

With a flourish, Ash put a hand to his chest- a perfect echo of how Roman would've introduced himself. "Me," Ash said with a grin his criminal friend would be proud of.

Even with the flowery attempt, Cinder still wasn't impressed. "No." She could still make-do with Neo and Emerald's intervention. Ash was just a way to make things easier, but not necessary for the grand scheme. "If that is all you can offer…"

The unsaid offer to leave hung in the air, and Ash took it with a disappointed click of his tongue. As he began to walk past Cinder, the girl barked out, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Vale," the boy called over his shoulder, not stopping in the slightest. He was already hanging by the doorway, staying if Cinder had something else to say or offer. "Don't worry," Ash reassured. "I won't tell anyone your bigger secrets."

"If you leave," Cinder reminded, "your protection for Ruby goes with it."

Ash wasn't fazed. "You hurt her, and you won't live to see the first round of the festival."

She knew that the conversation was coming to an end, so the woman in red gave it one last attempt. "I know why Farayan is attached to the girl, but why you? Why are you so interested in Ruby Rose?"

Now that, Ash was happy to answer. The boy held up his hand not on the door, showing off all five of his fingers. Only his pointer finger was raised up straight. Ash's head turned enough for Cinder to see the smirk and the glimmer in one of his eyes. "You chase fairy tales," he began.

The tip of his finger caught fire, a lick of orange flickering in the vent's breeze. A fluttery feeling bloomed in Ash's chest as he watched Cinder freeze, eyes widening at his own pyromancy. "I hunt legends," he said with a grin.

"The Phoenix," Cinder breathed. "You found one?"

So quick on the draw. It was a shame that Ash didn't care for her anymore. "Now you understand." His feet started moving again, waving a hand to shake the fire away. "Either Roman or nothing," he called out behind him. "Call me if you change your mind."

"Ash, you don't-!" The door slammed behind him, cutting off Cinder's exclamation with a _bang_. The faunus below looked up, anticipating a major explosion from the small office. Ash stared back, blank emotions on his features. It was quite obvious the workers had an ear out for the door the entire time, as dozens of heads turned up as soon as the door sounded.

Ash hopped over the railing, landing between two workers that had to scramble back to avoid his landing. Getting to his feet, Ash looked around at the teams of eyes. And saluted. "You won't be seeing me anymore," he yelled at the crowd as he walked towards the exit. The sun was blaring overhead, blinding Ash for a moment as his eyes started to adjust.

And as they did, as the outside world around him became visible instead of a bright mess of white, Ash drank in the sight. If he was lucky, this was the last time he'd see it. The edges of town, the layout of Atlesian ships overhead, how plant-life ceased to exist at the boundary between town and-

Something pulled at Ash's arm hair, insistent in how hard they tugged. The boy looked at his side and smiled at what he saw. With a demanding frown, a short girl had both hands on Ash's arm. Clad in white and pink, her pull had more force than her slender frame let on. "Sorry," Ash apologized. "The woman's not going to help."

The girl tilted her head, pouting as if influencing Ash was going to do anything to change Cinder's mind. "I tried," Ash reasoned. "Gave her an offer and everything." At this, the girl looked annoyed as her eyebrows closed in, pink and brown eyes somehow donning their own frowns. "Plan B, Neo?" Ash went on with a grin.

Neo had to grin as well. The little psychopaths were ready to have fun.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Team RWBY, please. Come in."

The four girls walked in as the elevator doors closing behind them without a sound. "You wanted to see us, sir?" Ruby asked in a small voice. The girl was under the arm of Yang, leaning into her sister's body in comfort. "About the mission?"

Ozpin nodded at his desk, and he hid his frown behind interlaced fingers. Oobleck said in his assessment that Ruby was… shaken. But the unfocused vision in her eyes and how her shoulders sagged a bit too much. It was much more than just a spook, much more personal than Miss Rose witnessing the two corpses in Vale's streets.

She had the same posture as the night she came out of the hospital. The days after her return from Farayan's capture.

"Yes," Ozpin spoke. He removed the hands from his mouth along with the frown, replaced by a neutral expression. "Oobleck has shown me the report about our informant's notes. Now, we can the tournament for the Queen's next moves."

The girls nodded, though none were looking satisfied. "That's not why you brought us here," Weiss stated.

"Correct. I understand that some… events happened that Oobleck did not touch upon. He claimed that it would be much easier for you four to explain it yourself, as he did not your relation to the informant." Team RWBY shifted and looked at anything but Ozpin. At the same time, Yang held her sister with a tighter grip when she shivered unconsciously. That was never a good sign. "Doctor Oobleck's report touched upon the train and Farayan's notes."

The headmaster leaned forward with an inquisitive look in his eyes. "I want to know how you four are faring."

None of them spoke for a minute, unsure of how exactly to retell the story. "We're…" Yang began before she took a deep breath. "We're holding up."

Not the answer he was looking for. "Miss Rose," Ozpin called out. The girl in question looked up slowly like she was moving through jello. "How are you?"

"Fine."

Ozpin shook his head. "Miss Rose," he insisted.

Jumping slightly, Ruby sighed before she spoke. "It's hard."

"Seeing Farayan again?"

At that, Ruby shook her head. Vehemently. "Knowing that he lied to me," Ruby said in a whisper.

And to his surprise, Ozpin watched as Yang's features flickered from surprise- her eyes widening at her sister- to relief. "Headmaster," Ruby said before he could, "how did Farayan get out?" She looked at Ozpin in the eyes. "You said both of them were being put down."

"I did," Ozpin agreed. "This is something I intend to bring up with a particular Altesian general." The headmaster's voice became sharper with anger as his sentence carried on, making the first-years' eyes widen at the lapse of Ozpin's signature collectiveness. Noticing their expressions, he took a sigh before going on. "If I had to venture a guess, I would say the Queen took interest in him before recruiting Farayan. Possibly saving him from his execution with the help of an inside man at the very least."

The students waited for Ozpin to be done with his musings, but they realized after a minute that it might drag on for quite a bit longer than they wished. "So, what happens now?" Weiss asked. "Are we to prepare for an attack on the festival?"

Ozpin broke away from his thoughts, looking back at the heiress. "Now," Ozpin started. he paused, sighing as he thought about his delivery. "You wait."

That wasn't the answer they were expecting. "What?" four girls exclaimed as one.

"You can't be serious," Yang demanded. "You really expect us to sit back while we know about a massive… collusion? I don't think so!"

"But I do," Ozpin replied. "Tell me, Miss Xiao Long." He leaned forward, critical eyes boring into Yang as they halted the brawler in her tracks. "What to believe you can do in this scenario?"

Yang blinked. "We could… I dunno… go hunt down safehouses? They have to be in Vale somewhere."

Ozpin shook his head as he gave the girl a pointed look. Like he was saying, " _This is why_." Out loud, however, his words were less condescending. "Time-consuming that gives the Queen and her subjects too much time to evacuate. But I could have trained Hunters and Huntresses looking for them. What are you four, specifically, supposed to do?"

Three of the girls looked between each other while the fourth stared at Ozpin. The only one with any measure of experience in this field. "We wait," Blake said begrudgingly.

"Precisely." Ozpin sat back in his chair. He took a much-needed sip from his mug, looking at the space above Team RWBY's heads in thought. "You four are to rest up after an intensive mission. Act how you normally would, but make no mention of Farayan or this major plot to your classmates."

That elicited another indignant "What?" from the girls. "So we're supposed to ignore this?" Ruby demanded.

Ozpin's eyebrow arched in response. "I never said that," he replied. "I only said you four would have no more roles in a game meant for adults."

The message started to sink into the students. "So…"

"So," Ozpin set his mug down, "You are to make no mentions. Meanwhile, Vale and the other kingdoms shall increase security on a few buildings Oobleck mentioned in his report, as well as have more trained Huntsmen on-hand throughout the Vytal Festival."

Even then, Ozpin's words didn't settle their stomachs. "Only a few buildings?" Weiss repeated.

Despite his composure, Ozpin let out a breath of frustration. "As much as I hate to admit it, Farayan's plan does have merit." He held a hand up for the inevitable outcries to stop. With the small amount of breathing-room he had, Ozpin laid out the facts. "The identities of major figures are still unknown, we have no general location of any safehouses they may be operating at, and Farayan's own influence is still a mystery." The headmaster shook his head, head bowed towards the table as he growled. "No, we don't have enough information to go on an initiative."

The room was silent for a long time as they absorbed the influx of information. Oz drummed his fingers against each other, thinking of the steps he was willing to take. On the other side of the desk, the students shuffled as they tried to ask another question before they all died in their throats. "Farayan said something interesting," Weiss spoke slowly. All eyes were on her as she held Ozpin's gaze. "He said Blake used to be with… the White Fang."

He almost laughed at the situation- a former terrorist among them was the tamest news Ozpin had heard in the last few minutes. "And?" he egged on.

"Why did you accept her to Beacon?"

Ozpin's look shifted to Blake who also tore her gaze off Weiss. Now four sets of eyes were once again back on him. "I saw potential," he answered. "Yes, her past history is less than ideal-"

"That's an understatement," Yang snorted with a smile.

"-but her most recent actions tell a different tale. Along with her personal history with the White Fang and her attitude with their current trends, I believe Miss Belladonna can be an exceptional example of the benefit of a second chance."

Weiss nodded. "And her personal history?"

No answer came. Instead, Ozpin sipped at his drink as he nodded towards Blake. "As I said: personal history. Perhaps she can tell you herself in due time." Relief washed over the faunus's face, and Blake sent a thankful smile at Ozpin's direction. "Now, if you have no more questions, I suggest you head back to your dorms. Classes have been postponed for another few days with all the students on their own missions. Well," the headmaster's lips quirked in a brief smile, "almost all of them."

Soft grins were exchanged between the girls while they gave Ozpin their farewells. Quiet banter exchanged between them, quiet enough to not carry over across the room. Though, by the looks of it, Ruby relaxed with her friends. Laughing even as the elevator doors closed behind them, giving Ozpin a wave of goodbye. The smile he had on wavered just a bit.

Ruby's empty look didn't truly disappear.

Even after all that reassurance, with Ozpin giving them the entirety of the previous day- and the next day- to rest. A sigh of defeat blew from Ozpin's lips. She wasn't losing the battle, the elderly man tried to reason with himself, but a little help wouldn't hurt. Perhaps she might need a few more previous friends to help her- Penny's presence helped Miss Rose, if he remembered correctly.

A soft ringing sounded from Ozpin's pocket, interrupting his thoughts. Reflexively, he flipped open the Scroll, glancing at it as his brain continued to rifle through Farayan's plans and Ruby's mental health at the same time. His eyes flew over the name onscreen, then they widened as they took another sweep. Anger started to rise in Ozpin's throat, ready to shout a curse in the empty room. And, with a sigh, he raised his Scroll to his ear.

"What do you want?" the headmaster demanded.

"Hey, Oz," the man on the other end greeted. "Can I cash in that favor?"

 **AN: Now, we're in the endgame. Hello, it's Fireflame. This is the point where this story starts to wind down. And to be honest, I have one more chapter before I'm out of filling ideas. I've got the end done and like... the next 4 scenes. But the gap between that? The Vytal Festival and setting up Cinder's downfall? That's not coming as easily.**

 **So, Farayan's got a new little set of powers. And I'm really trying not to make him _too_ powerful- I had a conversation with TGDB about if he could have the Wraith's abilities, and we scratched that one out pretty quickly. If I did give him the power to possess inanimate objects, Farayan could walk through walls by going in and out of them. **

**Needless to say, that's horrifying enough as an idea.**

 **Alright, I have to talk about my update schedule as the month is ending. No way I can do this "every 5 days" updating. 6 chapters a month? That's not happening for me, no matter how much time I pretend to have. Maybe 2 or 3 chapters- and I'll make good on that promise. November was just an anomaly- NaNoWriMo for a first-time guy. And I'm actually really close to my limit on budgeting time. Sorry, guys, but thems the truth.**

 **Anyways, I'll see you at the end of the month.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	28. Chapter 28: Give It a Break

**AN: November is done, and I'm Freeeeeee!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY or make money off this. To be fair, I wouldn't in the first place, but still.**

Chapter 28: Give It a Break

Only a few minutes had passed since Team RWBY left Ozpin's office. Heeding his advice, they decided to camp out in their room, each girl on their own bed with solemn expression hidden from the others. They had nothing planned for the rest of the day or even the day after.

Though, that didn't mean others had no plans for them. Evident by their door being kicked open as a girls voice squeaked too loudly for her lungs, "You never told us you were back!"

Ruby grinned as she was enveloped in a hug, orange hair fell over her face, and a shriek of excitement blasted her ears. "I didn't know you guys were still in town," she laughed.

Stepping back, Nora held the girl by her shoulders at arms-length. "We had a mission in Vale," the bubbly girl quipped. "Jaune decided we should do something here to…" She turned to her leader who was standing a few steps back. "What did you say again?"

"Get familiar with the town," Jaune answered. His smile was prominent on his face, but the light in his eyes- the one that goes with any happy look- kept flickering when it landed on one girl. "How are you doing, Ruby?" he asked.

The girl stopped smiling for an instant, then it returned before many noticed. Weiss and Jaune, though, were the ones that saw her lapse. And with the way Ruby's eyes flickered between the two, it was clear she didn't forget. "Better," Ruby answered.

"Better?" Nora boomed. "You rode into Vale on a train that came through the ground! That's so cool!" She turned to her leader again. "Why don't we get to do fun stuff?"

"It's not fun," Team RWBY said in unison.

Nora looked back, genuine surprise written on her face. "Storming a train isn't fun?" she repeated. "What happened before that then?"

"We went to Mountain Glenn," Weiss said.

The redhead blinked before turning to her own team. "What?"

"Grimm-infested town," Ren answered. "One of the most dangerous areas of Vale due to its attraction to large herds of Grimm, along with its relative inaccessibility."

Nora seemed to pout, but that disappeared under the pointed look Ren gave. Which was the equivalent to a normal man screaming "No". Instead she turned to the team of girls. "Well, what do you guys want to do now? I heard the theater's still good. Or the mall, though we can't get to the center square now. Maybe the Emerald Forest."

"Or maybe," Ruby interrupted in a meek voice. "We could just relax for a day?"

Before Nora could get her opinion in, most likely to chide how boring it was, Pyrrha put a hand over her teammate's mouth. "That sounds like a nice idea," she said with a smile. "We could use a day or two to recover from our missions." The girl felt Nora frown under her hand and didn't care about it. Mostly.

A round of mumbles from the others affirmed their decision. "Movie night in the commons?" Yang asked.

"You guys can go ahead," Ruby said. She unhooked herself from Yang's arm. Ever since they came back, her sister hadn't left her side besides her multiple "bathroom runs", used to get away from those lilac eyes that tracked her every emotion. "I think I just want to sleep for a bit."

"No you don't," Weiss denied. Ruby's eyes widened as she expected the retort to come from her sister, not the heiress. "You aren't getting away from us that easily."

"Weiss, please," Ruby whined.

The teen wasn't having any of her partner's childish attempts. "You're not allowed to brood," Weiss stated, no room for argument in her tone. "Even if that means I have to put up with your insistently bad taste in film, I will not let my partner be left alone."

Ruby's whines had no effect, nor did her attempt to run as Weiss- anticipating her partner's movements- had a hand on the back of Ruby's hood. "No," the young girl groaned, stretching her arms forward like she was trying to reach for freedom.

Her friends merely laughed at Ruby's attempts- traitors, all of them. With a huff, Ruby crossed her arms, a playful frown marring her face. "So, we're in agreeance?" Weiss asked the group.

Yang snorted, "Of course, you'd find a way to use 'agreeance' in a sentence." Still, she raised her fists over her head triumphantly, even as Weiss let out her signature, indignant "Hey!" "It's settled- movie night!" She was already walking towards the door, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. "What do you guys want to watch?" she asked no one in particular. "Action? Blake's romance stuff?"

"Ooh," Pyrrha chimed in with her own smile. "I'm interested in these comedy films Jaune always mentions."

"Not your style, I can tell you that." By now, the others were following the blonde out the door at various degrees of willingness. Ruby was, in essence, dragged out the door by her traitorous partner, moaning and reaching for her bed as she was pulled farther away.

At least she wasn't moping.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Hey, Oz. Are you still there?"

The headmaster's brow twitched at merely listening to the boy's voice. "Yes," he answered in as few words as possible.

"You brought Ironwood then?"

Ozpin looked at the man across the table, listening on every word of the conversation with wide eyes. "He's here," the man answered, still looking at the general.

"Excellent!" They heard hands clasping together on the other side of the call. "Now, we can get down to business."

"How are you even alive?" Ironwood demanded. "Dr. Treuse was-"

"Was forcibly retired," Farayan interrupted, his tone annoyed at the question. "Wow, you really don't know how many people will do things 'in the name of science'." Before Ironwood could shout back at the Scroll, the boy went on: "No, I'm here to call in that favor."

A sigh escaped Ozpin. "Roman Torchwick," he guessed.

"Right in one."

Farayan named his price, but Ironwood wasn't willing to agree. "We are not letting that convict loose," the man stated. "Atlas has spent the last five years tracking that man's movements."

"And Vale the last ten," Ozpin agreed. "You can't possibly expect us to let him go."

Instead of a further bargain, Ozpin was surprised to hear Farayan laugh. "Let him go?" the Scroll echoed. "No, no, no. Just give me his cell number, and I'll get him myself."

Ironwood raised an eyebrow at Ozpin. "He's talking about a prison break," the General growled. "We can't allow this."

"Your price is too steep," Ozpin said to the caller. Whatever differences Ozpin had with Ironwood at the moment, those would have to be set aside. And the man was right- Farayan drove too high a bargain. "We cannot release such a high-security prisoner to you 'as a favor', even if we did get the court's approval."

The Scroll emitted silence for a brief second. Then, "Yes? What is it?" Ozpin and Ironwood looked at each other, equally as confused at what Farayan was eluding to. "No, Neo." Ah, so there was another accomplice the hybrid-boy had. "We can't go now- I still don't know his cell. Plus, now's not the time."

"Farayan," Ozpin barked. Grinding his teeth wouldn't help the situation, even if that was what Ozpin wanted to do as his frustration grew with the boy.

"Oh, right." A bit of noise sounded through the Scroll as if Farayan was fumbling for the mic. "Right, what were you saying?"

"Your price is too high."

A sigh came in response. "I'm giving you the Queen," Farayan started to list.

"But not her name."

"Well, not yet. I'm also giving you a decent chunk of White Fang members."

"Whose locations you have yet to disclose," Ozpin reminded.

"I don't lie." The headmaster could feel Farayan's smirk through the call. "When have I ever lied to you?"

He let out a deep breath through his nose. "Half-truths and misleading statements are as good as lies," Ozpin snapped.

"Your opinion. Now, I could go back to the Queen and continue working for her. Sure, I might have a worse chance of freeing Roman- but at least it-"

"You left?"

Farayan paused, processing Ozpin's interruption. "What?"

"You said you left the Queen," Ozpin repeated. "I don't believe you want to go back to her."

"Oh?" Farayan's tone went from a businessman's to a playful child's in an instant. "And why would you say that?"

The headmaster leaned forward, a twinkle finally in his eyes for the first time that conversation. "In the past, you have said how you despise the Queen."

"She's annoyingly dumb for someone so smart," Farayan agreed.

Ozpin went on, "So it makes no sense for you to crawl back to her, especially after that last incident. I can't imagine this woman not realizing your role in Mountain Glenn."

"Right, right," Farayan tried to end that conversation derailment. "So, about Roman."

"That's not happening," Ironwood spoke for his friend.

A sigh emitted from the Scroll. "Stop making this so difficult," the boy whined over the line. "What else do I have to give you? You guys gave me your word a month ago- what happened?"

"We realized it was you," Ozpin snapped back. The line went silent, prompting the man to go on. "Your very nature brings mistrust, not to mention your manipulations on my students."

A pause as Farayan considered his words. "Which ones?"

Anger built in the headmaster's deep breaths- there were more than Team RWBY under Farayan's influence? "The girls," Ozpin specified.

"Right- how's Ruby by the way? Farayan's concerned for her, you know? The boy, not me-"

"You do not speak her name," Ozpin shouted. Ironwood took a step back, eyes bulging at the sight of his friend losing his temper. "You, War'Din, have no right."

"I hate that name," Farayan said with a groan. "Fine, old man. I could just sneak into your databases and find out myself- it's just easier for the both of us I didn't."

Ironwood's eyes narrowed at the underlying jab at their security. "And how would you do that?"

"That's the General, right? Well, I'm great at impersonations." The voice deepened by the end of the sentence, and by the start of the next one, it was a familiar one Ironwood held his breath for. "I'm sure the legion's commander would have no trouble," Ironwood's own voice sounded from the Scroll.

"You wouldn't-" Ironwood bristled.

"James," Ozpin interjected, pushing a button on his Scroll. With their end muted, the two adults had a chance to talk privately. Even with Farayan calling out their names. "This… might be too much for us."

Ironwood was stunned- Ozpin never gave in. If he stood firm by an idea, there was almost nothing that could stop him. "Ozpin…"

"We can't have suspicions that Farayan could be everywhere." Ironwood sighed at Ozpin's reason- right, the only thing that could override Ozpin's actions were his ideals. Unity being the top priority. "It… may be simpler to have Farayan in a controlled area where we know he will attend to."

Slowly, as the idea bloomed between them, Ironwood nodded. "And then we can capture him in the act," he added.

Finally, in agreeance, Ozpin unmuted the Scroll, Farayan constantly calling out for them the entire time. "Alright," he said firmly. The name-calling stopped as Farayan listened in. "You'll get your information."

"Nice," Farayan quipped. "I'd like to know which ship Roman is stored on, his cell, and his security code for the lock."

"That's more than what-"

"James," Ozpin stopped the man from going off on a tangent. His serious expression pierced the normally stoic general, that intensity reserved for those who truly pissed him off. And even though Ironwood knew that glare wasn't supposed to be direct at himself, he couldn't help but shudder.

"I believe it's time we make our deals with the devil."

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

A yawn escaped Ruby as she sank into her seat on the sofa. Squashed between Weiss and Yang, she decided to lean towards the one not blood-related. Weiss pushed the girl away to her sister's side, only for the same body to lean against her, black hair on a round head resting against her shoulder. "Get off," Weiss demanded in a low voice.

Ruby smiled in response. "You didn't want me to be at our room to sleep," she jested. "This is the next best thing."

Weiss tried once again to push her partner away, ending in a failure as Ruby rocked back onto Weiss's side. "Ruby," her voice dipped in a warning.

"Yes?" Ruby tilted her head up, looking back at the heiress with innocent eyes.

The heiress scoffed, wondering how she could have someone so childish be her partner. Eventually, though, she conceded under Ruby's bright silver eyes. The weight on her shoulder and side vanished as Ruby stayed there, unaware of how much time was passing as their eyes were on the movie in front of them. Maybe an hour? Or two, considering the movie was starting to wrap up.

But they couldn't ignore the electronic clicks from someone's Scroll taking pictures.

"Yang, if that's you," Weiss warned loud enough to be heard over the sound of movie explosions, "I will personally see to it those photos are destroyed."

"Hmm?" The blonde in question piped up, too focused on the movie to hear the heiress's words clearly. Yang looked over to her side, eyes widening at the sight of her sister and their teammate. "What's going on here?" she asked with a wide grin.

If it wasn't her, then… Weiss looked beyond Yang, craning her neck to see the girl in the armchair next to them. Aquamarine eyes looking back at Weiss's light blue, and she smiled at the heiress. "You two are so cute," Nora squeaked, not sorry in the slightest.

A heat rose in Weiss's cheeks as she tried, again, to shove Ruby off her. This time, she decided to keep a hand out when the girl swung her body back. The look that Ruby gave the heiress- she knew. With a startling revelation, Weiss realized how everything Ruby was doing was intentional. The knowing smile, mirth hidden in her silver eyes, and the girl's continuation of trying to lean back onto Weiss- this was all a joke to her.

"You are too much like your sister," Weiss scowled, trying to ignore the red in her face.

Ruby laughed as she moved Weiss's arm away, sitting up straight this time. "But you liked it," Ruby chided playfully. She could hear the snort coming from her side, even over the movie blaring through the commons. Craning her neck, Ruby whispered into Weiss's ear, "You leaned your head on mine."

Smack. The girl was now rubbing her stomach, unable to control her giggles as Weiss took her hand away. Now, the heiress's entire body was flushed with red while she looked at anything but the girl she'd smacked on the arm. On the same couch, Yang scooted away from her sister who was rolling side to side, clutching her stomach- though not because it stung. "Hey, lovebirds," Yang teased. "We're trying to watch a movie."

As Weiss hurriedly denied Yang's new nickname for the partners, Ruby got out of her seat, giggles still escaping her every now and then, and headed for the kitchen. Back there, even with the lights turn off for "maximum theater effect", as Yang called it, light still shone through the window over the sink. And so, the kitchen was bathed in the streetlight's bright white light right outside.

Because of this, the kitchen was lit up at all times. Good for Ruby, since she had to find her hidden stash of cookies in the back of a cupboard. Behind three green jars of sugar and other ingredients, the girl's identical jar sat inconspicuously, with only a small 'R' on the side for Ruby to know which was hers. Ruby plucked it out of the cupboard and frowned- it was lighter than she liked. She was going to have to refill it in the next few days.

For now, Ruby pulled one of the chocolate-chip cookies out and munched away, a muffled moan of pleasure escaping her as she leaned on the counter, the jar still in her hands. The treat was devoured in the first three bites, and Ruby reached in for another. With her hand still stuck in the jar, a shadow passed over the girl. The outline of two people walking side by side, enlarged by the streetlight's angle. Curious as to who it could be, Ruby turned around, looking out the window.

Her heart skipped a beat, and not in a nice way. Though looking out into the brighter outside world made their images blurry, Ruby could still see their outlines. A small girl with black hair and a black jacket, strolling alongside a boy not much taller than her. Yellow hair, face lit up with happiness as his red eyes gleamed in the light.

Ruby's hands shook, and her breaths came out in uneven gasps. It had to be fake- her mind must have been playing tricks. But months convincing herself that she wasn't insane didn't help the fact that the pair looked like… that. Like Ruby and Ash out on their first outing. And she must have been imagining the wink fake-Ash gave her like he knew the girl was there the entire time.

It was over in an instant as the strolling couple vacated the window a second later. But Ruby stood there, her whole body trembling. Why was he everywhere, Ruby wondered with a whimper? There was no way he could be back in Vale, could he? And the second Ruby next to Ash- that had to be her mind playing tricks.

"Ruby!" Using all her will, Ruby tore her gaze away from the window and looked over to the voice's source. She barely registered Yang running over, concern and anger painted on her face. "What happened?" Yang demanded.

"I-," Ruby's response died in her throat, and her ears rung like a loud noise went off next to them. Looking down, she realized that might be the reason her ears were ringing like they were. Her cookie jar was now in pieces, crumbs and ceramic shards scattering on the tiled floor. Ruby's shoes were covered in them, but thankfully her feet were spared by the thick leather. The girl's legs, on the other hand, were not. Bits and shards of the green jar were embedded in her pants, a few of them pricking into her skin.

Ruby suspected a few of them may have drawn blood. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, kneeling down and sweeping them up with her bare hands. At least, she would have if Yang hadn't snatched her arms away on the second pass. "I'll clean this up," Ruby rambled on. "My hand must've slipped or something, I-"

"Ruby." The girl looked up at her sister, finally seeing the terror replacing anger on Yang's face. Though, the concern was still the most prominent emotion displayed for the sister. "What happened?" she asked again, this time softer. It wasn't the shards of jar on the floor, the fact Ruby had a hidden stash, or even her sister's clumsiness that worried Yang.

It was how Ruby's arm, her entire frame, trembled. That despair that crept in the back of her silver pupils. How the girl's breaths were deep and rapid, yet she still took more as if she couldn't get enough air. "I- Farayan- the window-"

Without another word, Ruby was swept up in a much-needed hug as she wept. She was doing that a lot now, and Yang hated every bit of it. Carefully, without dragging any of the crumbs across the floor, Yang hefted her sister over the mess and carried her away, sitting with her back against the wall. All the while Ruby crying into her shoulder, mumbling nonsense about Farayan being back and being everywhere.

Yang despised how common this felt- how it seemed like Ruby needed to be in her comforting arms every few hours. How her sister was reduced to… this.

All because of a dumb boy and the voices in his head.

The blonde looked over her sister's black hair. Six sets of eyes stared back at the sisters, concern filling each set. Weiss started to stand, but she stopped when Yang shook her head. Indignant, the heiress mouthed a few questionable phrases and jerked her head towards the trembling bundle in her arms. Again, Yang shook her head, this time with more force. She didn't like it, but Weiss sat back down with a huff, her attitude towards Yang fading in another instant as she looked back towards Ruby.

The movie ended in the background, leaving the two teams alone in a silence only broken by Yang's soothing words and Ruby's broken sobs. Silently, Blake stood and went to get a broom, Jaune following behind her. As they swept up the remains of Ruby's jar, the girl let out one last sniffle. "It was Farayan," Ruby whispered for Yang's ears.

Yang's hold on Ruby grew stronger, and her eyes stiffened, out of Ruby's sight. "He can't hurt you," Yang mumbled back. "All he wants to do is scare you- and you're too tough for that, Ruby."

The sounds of ceramic scraping against tile filled the silence. "Yang," Ruby started. "Do you think… I'm insane?"

"No." Without hesitation, the word flew out of Yang's mouth. "Sis, why would you think that?"

Once more, Ruby buried her face into her sister's shoulder. "Because I thought I saw Farayan outside."

A hint of fire broke through Yang's lilac eyes. "If here's there, I'll-"

"Along with me."

Ruby's words came out no more than a whisper, but it was plenty loud for the girl holding her. "What?" Yang said after a moment.

"It… looked like me," Ruby said, just a bit louder. "I think I'm imagining things now."

She refused to believe that. Yang held her sister close to her chest as she buried her face in the black hair. "You're not insane," Yang mumbled.

"But the Ruby-"

"Some poor girl Farayan's stringing along." Yang winced at her word choice, and from the feeling of the body in her hands tensing, Ruby did as well. "I mean," Yang tried again, "he's fooled a lot of people. Don't let him get to you just because you were the first."

Ruby spent the next few minutes in Yang's arms, her breathing even out while her body stopped shuddering with every breath. "Yang?" she called out again.

"Hmm?"

The girl nuzzled further into her sister, closing her eyes as Yang's warmth rolled over her. "Thanks," Ruby murmured.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"She still hasn't broken?" Farayan shook his head as he ducked down from the window. Back to the wall, he slid down with his arms crossed. "Man, Ruby's more resilient than I thought."

His eyes closed for an instant, then he cracked a single one open when someone tugged on his sleeve. To his left, a Ruby sat on her heels, legs folded beneath her as she leaned in towards Farayan. Both hands on Farayan's shirt with a look of pointed annoyance in her mismatched eyes. "What do you mean, 'I'm being too mean to her'?" Farayan asked in annoyance. "Have you seen your track record?"

For that, he received a quick slap on the chest. "Am I wrong?" he intoned with a raised eyebrow. The Ruby at his side sat back, blowing one of the many out-of-place strands of hair. "Exactly," Farayan snorted.

That received another smack from the Fake Ruby. "Neo!" Farayan scowled as he rubbed his sore chest. With a silent snort, the girl sat down, her arms crossed under her petite chest. "I'm sorry I dragged you along for this," Farayan finally apologized. Then, with a grin, "But you gotta admit, it's fun doing this to her."

Neo tilted her head as if to consider her partner's declaration, but a soft smile still found a place on her lips.

 **AN: NaNoWriMo is DONE! I am free! Yesterday, I had to stay up until 3 to try and get done with the 5000 words I had left. But it's done folks- not this story. I have like 2-3 more chapters left to write. But, I can comfortably say I'll get through December and January with my goal of 2 chapters per month. Yes, I'm not going to do the every-5-days. I've got school!**

 **Anyways, welcome back to Breaking Ruby Volume 1. The story's finally winding down, and I'm actually running out of ideas of how to link scenes together. No more dumb banter, no more dates that I can use to fill in. I've got the 3 rounds of the Vytal Festival, a few in-between scenes, and nothing else to distract me. So get ready- I'm preparing my closing entries.**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	29. Chapter 29: Locked Up

**AN: Yeah, I'm sorry. I got extremely sick of writing after November. 50k words in one month, then like 3000 for the next. Thank god I had two chapters for buffer. I'll get the next chapter by next year. Hopefully the 31st.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY.**

Chapter 29: Locked Up

Weiss hopped over Ruby's crouched figure, careful not to impale her partner as she did so. The first Beowolf to a sliver rapier point in its head, disappearing in a brilliant smoke. With a swish of her sword, three glyphs formed in front of Weiss, slowing the advance of the incoming Grimm that had their mouths wide for a chomp, claws in front of them as they pounced on her.

Like how they practiced, Ruby took point again. "Let it go," she shouted behind her, her weapon already moving as Weiss's Semblance dissipated. One slash, and three heads rolled before they went up like the first Beowolf's.

"Nice!" Ruby laughed as the next Grimm came, jumping just out of the girl's swinging scythe's range. Looking more annoyed than anything, Ruby whirled her weapon down, scythe-point planted in the ground. Shaft pointed at the dog-like Grimm. Squeezing the trigger, a loud _boom_ emitted- along with a bullet- from the barrel, ripping through the unsuspecting monster as it too disappeared.

Ruby grinned as she pulled her Crescent Rose out of the ground, turning around to quip at Weiss for a job well done. Her eyes widened as another Beowolf was upon her, a foot away from her throat at most. It was too late to try and block it or step away, so the girl closed her eyes and braced for the inevitable.

A low _thck_ sounded in front of Ruby. When the pain of her aura flaring never came, the reaper peeked through one eye before they both flew open. The Beowolf still had its mouth wide, still a foot away. And jutting from its jaw- through the top of its head- was a spear of ice. Underneath, other icicles impaled, all lined up from tail to head. Surprise seemed to gleam in its eyes before it crumbled to dust.

"What was that?" Weiss demanded, eyes still on her partner as she waved at their teammate to stop the training. The Grimm around the perimeter flickered out of existence, and the lights came back at full intensity. Around them, the arena came back, showing Blake and Yang standing out of the ring along with Professor Goodwitch. The professor had her tablet with her, as usual, and the screen was whirling with activity.

Even while the world around Ruby lit up, she still had her head down and eyes on the ground as Weiss stomped up to her. "Three days," Weiss growled. "Is that all it takes?"

For their time Ozpin gave them to rest, Team RWBY had been trying their best to recover from the Breach. And once students trickled in from their various missions, eyes wide at the damage still in the main square, the girls decided to hit up the arena. While three of them were doing better than ever with the time for their muscles to reset, the same couldn't be said about their leader. "I'm sorry," Ruby apologized to the floor. "I got distracted."

The girl heard Weiss let out a deep breath as a hand landed on the back of her head. "Apologizing won't do you any good when you're hurt," Weiss scolded in a much softer voice than Ruby expected. And she gritted her teeth at that- it would've been so much nicer if the heiress would have yelled or scowled. "You have to stop thinking about him."

This time, Ruby was the one to release her own deep breath of frustration. "Again," she said.

"Ruby." Yang spoke up for the first time in an hour. "You've been at this for a long time. Maybe you should-"

"No," Ruby snapped with a shake of her had. She pulled her scythe back, head up and eyes blazing with determination. "Again."

"Miss Rose," Goodwitch interrupted Ruby's attempt to concentrate. "While I admire your dedication, brute-forcing yourself to train is detrimental to your mental psyche during a combat simulation. Perhaps you should come back tomorrow."

"But-" Her argument died as Goodwitch's eyes intensified the glare they gave Ruby. Honestly, how did she become so menacing with such a neutral expression? "Alright," Ruby conceded with a sigh.

It was fortunate for Goodwitch as well- for how long and how intense the girls had wanted to train, it had drained her tablet's battery. Part of her reason to stop Miss Rose's session was because it might have died with her tablet. "Excellent," the professor spoke. As she made her exit, Goodwitch gave each girl a piece of advice. "Miss Xiao Long- your footwork still needs improvement. Miss Schnee- make quicker decisions when approached by more than one opponent. Miss Belladonna- relying on a Semblance too much may be your downfall.

"And Miss Rose." Goodwitch stopped and turned at the glum girl. Her expression softened, too far away for any of them to notice. "I'd advise you to pick up meditation if you have trouble focusing. I believe your friend, Lie Ren, has some techniques." And with her words said, the professor vacated the training room, leaving the girls to ponder her words.

As the large doors closed behind the professor, Ruby groaned in frustration, her weapon collapsing with a flick of her wrist as she tucked it back in its loop on her back. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to yell at someone- especially Weiss, even if she had done nothing wrong. Then, without warning, Ruby spun around and headed for the door. "Where are you headed?" Weiss asked.

"Finding Ren," Ruby shouted over her shoulder, not sparing her partner a glance.

Weiss was about to run after the reaper, but a hand clamped on her shoulder, holding her in place. "Give her some time," Yang's voice said in the heiress's ear. Too low for her sister to hear. Weiss jumped at how close Yang had gotten, and then her eyes narrowed at the blonde's words. "She's my sister," Yang placated the girl, her eyes still on the Ruby as the girl left. "I know when she needs to vent a bit."

With gritted teeth, Weiss turned away from Yang. "No offense," she started, "Ruby's not the same. She's been venting a bit too much." A low blow, sure- Weiss's heart skipped a beat when a flash of hurt passed Yang's face. But she felt so helpless trying to turn Ruby back into the happy-go-lucky leader she'd adored.

And Yang just wanted them to adapt around this… mopey, teenage girl persona Ruby had?

Mopey may not have been the right word- that implied Ruby was unwilling to do anything when, in fact, she wanted to do everything. Target practice, combat training, team exercises, the mountain of homework that Ruby forgot to do for weeks. Weiss was unsettled by how active her partner had become.

Not just her activity, but how Ruby was doing everything. It was common of her to make a mistake here and there- maybe run into someone when her head was in the clouds. But the girl always laughed it off, albeit maybe with a light red in the face. Now, after the Breach, she began to make more mistakes- sloppy errors that Weiss had been weeding out of her for months like Ruby's tendency to be a bit _too_ engrossed in having flair to her swings. And after every misstep, Ruby scowled herself and insisted on a second try. A third, fourth, then fifth, until she finally gave up or was forced to by her teammates.

The first time her friends spotted this was during a late-night session. Ruby sparred against Weiss, and the heiress was shocked to see her leader's grin paired with eyes too focused, too serious for her happy attitude. The first time she lost, Ruby jumped up, shaking off the bit of disappointment. "Again."

The second time, Ruby was no longer smiling. "Again."

The third, Weiss was the one on the ground after a loss. Yet, still… "Again."

The fourth-

"Weiss," Yang called out. The heiress shook herself out of her musings, refocusing back on the concern written on Yang's face. "Are you okay?"

With a deep breath, she replied: "Fine. And it's not me you should be worried about."

The heiress strode for the door, but once again a hand reached out and snatched her wrist. "You don't think I care?" Yang questioned, deadly serious in her voice.

"I think you just don't act like it!" Weiss spun around, fury equally as potent in her eyes as Yang's. Three days- no, three months- of pent up anger finally released. "There goes you sister, and you act like everything is the same. You don't push her, you don't consul her- you do nothing!"

"I-"

"Ruby's been having nightmares when she's daydreaming!" Weiss gritted her teeth, a horrible satisfaction filling her as horror flickered over Yang's face. "You don't think I can hear her cry in your bed when she thinks we are all asleep? She went out and bought a nightlight, for god sakes- and you're still doing nothing!"

"Then what do you think we should do?" Yang exploded. "Your solution seems to be to remind Ruby of Him every chance you get!"

"I try and _help_ her," Weiss hissed. "I'm trying to help her get over him."

Yang scoffed. "She doesn't want to get over him," she argued.

In the next moment, Weiss was jabbing a finger into the blonde's chest. "And you don't find that concerning?" she demanded.

"Of course I do!"

"Then act like it!" Weiss exclaimed. "Stop pretending she's seven-years-old and throwing a tantrum. She needs our help, and you're…" She ran out of words, so the heiress resorted to a cry of frustration to get her point across.

As she was going to yell again, the third girl placed a placating hand on Weiss's shoulder. She received the full force of Weiss's glare and wasn't fazed, staring back with a calm expression. "Weiss," Blake said in a normal volume. "Calm down." When there was no indication Weiss listened to the faunus, she rolled here eyes. "At least put away Myrtenaster."

The glare froze, and a flicker of embarrassment made a brief appearance while she sheathed her rapier, not knowing it was in her hand during a good portion of their argument. "You too, Yang." Yang, looking abashed, uncocked her gauntlets as they folded back into their passive bracelet state.

Though their weapons went down, the tension in the air didn't. Weiss gave Yang one last disdainful look before whirling around, stomping for the exit. Because of her nature, Yang couldn't allow Weiss to leave without one last retort. "You have a sister," Yang yelled at the teen. The heiress stopped, posture rigid. "What would she do if this happened to you?"

Weiss's mouth went dry, her heart dropped as she thought about Winter. About her older sister's intense training regiment and how it loosened when their father decided to interfere with Weiss's childhood. "Exactly what you're doing," Weiss said in a whisper.

"And how'd that work out? You're here, aren't you?"

Yang's answer came a minute later. In a chillingly low voice, "And I despise her for what didn't do," Weiss replied. Leaving the two girls stunned, Weiss picked up her pace, speed-walking for the exit. The doors closed behind her, and she let out a shaky breath as her head tilted up. Eyes closed, Weiss leaned against the oak doors.

She was supposed to be the composed one, Weiss scolded herself. Though, it was more resignation than actual anger directed at herself. Weiss and Blake were supposed to be the calmer counterparts to their partners- at least, they were supposed to be a way to calm the sisters down. And Weiss blew it.

Shuffling feet interrupted Weiss's little self-guilt, making the heiress's eyes fly open as she scanned the hall. To her immediate right, standing next to the door she opened, a pair of wide, silver eyes stared at her. Now, Weiss wanted to curse herself for a different reason. "You heard all that, didn't you?" Weiss asked, already knowing the answer.

Ruby shuffled and squirmed, unable to meet her partner's eyes. "Yeah…" she mumbled. They were silent for a minute, unable to think of anything to say that wouldn't bring more awkwardness to the situation. "So," Ruby began, hesitating, "you and Jaune… when you wanted him to ask me for the Vytal Ball…"

Lying would have been so easy, but Weiss was never great at lying to her partner. Especially now, with her confession overheard. "That was for your sake," Weiss replied.

"So it wasn't-"

"It wasn't pity, no." Weiss sighed, clasping her hands together, looking down as she tried to put her thoughts into words. "Ruby, I- we- are concerned about your actions lately."

"Like what?" Ruby implored.

"You've been pushing yourself too much. Making mistakes you shouldn't be, your insistence to keep training- it is taking a toll on your… your mental fortitude."

Ruby tilted her head, confused by the paradox. "But I'm trying to train so I stop making those mistakes."

It took a bit of effort for Weiss to not snap in response like she usually did. Instead, the heiress took the thoughtful approach. "When you think too hard about something, you start to lose focus."

A pause. "I don't get it," Ruby admitted.

"Ruby, can you tell me why you wanted to come to Beacon?"

The question threw Ruby off-balance. Though, she always had that answer on-hand. "I wanted to be the hero," she said wistfully. "The bad-guy fighter and slayer of Grimm."

Weiss nodded, her assumptions reaffirmed. "But you're not doing that now."

"I'm-"

"Trying to help Farayan." Weiss paused as she hoped her next words wouldn't close Ruby off from her advice. "I… you're too focused on bringing Farayan back- in the best light, no less. It's not the boy you met in the forest." She could feel the familiar cold Ruby sunk back into whenever someone brought up Him. "Farayan- or Ash, whatever he calls himself- keeps trying to play with your emotions. Why do you want to help him this badly?"

Ruby was silent for the longest time. Weiss began to worry that an answer wouldn't come, but in a low murmur, it came. "Because he was my friend." Ruby looked up, a mix of sadness and coldness swimming in her sky-grey eyes. "And if I can't help my friend, how am I supposed to help others?"

There was the Ruby Philosophy the heiress expected. Yet, the same philosophy that would be her downfall if she kept up her habits. "You're harming us, though," Weiss said. "With you fretting over Farayan, you're trading off helping one friend for making the three of us worry." Ruby stayed silent, opening her mouth and closing it multiple times. "Even if she doesn't show it very well, Yang is worrying herself to death," Weiss went on. "And Blake most likely doesn't want to play the middle-girl between you and Yang."

And her? Weiss? The ice-cold heart cracked every time a frown marred Ruby's face. Weiss melted every time she heard that heartfelt giggle Ruby emitted, but she thawed out of her shell less and less for the past few months. With all the time she invested in the girl, Weiss felt like a part of her parted from herself whenever Ruby wept over Farayan.

Not like she was going to admit that any time soon- the frozen heart hadn't been raised like that, and she had a ways to go before Weiss would open up completely.

"But what if I could help him?" Ruby mumbled, bringing Weiss back to the present. "I- I think I found a way to save Farayan."

Weiss blinked. "Ruby, he's gone. You heard what Ozpin said."

"But Farayan- the Grimm- said he stole a part of Farayan's Aura. So maybe, if we could bring that part back…"

Weiss paused, wondering if she should allow the reaper to pursue this lane of passion or put a stop to her addiction. "What did you have in mind?" she hesitated to get the words out.

In response, Ruby pulled out her Scroll, clicking a few times to get to the images she saved. Shoving the device in Weiss's hands, Ruby stood back as her partner examined the texts Ruby had been reading over for the past few nights. "Ruby," Weiss said slowly. "You can't be serious."

"I am," the girl confirmed.

Weiss's head whipped up, almost glaring at Ruby with concern. "This is… convoluted and ridiculous, even for your standards."

"But what if it works?" Ruby clasped her hands over her partner's petite ones. Weiss heart skipped a beat- this time a happy one- while Ruby gave her a look of hope. "If it works, I can stop Farayan while also bringing the good in him back."

It would've killed Weiss to stop Ruby's endeavor, no matter how foolish she thought it was. "It's- it's based off nothing," Weiss stammered in denial. "Even then, the evidence it works is a religious belief. Nothing more." Still, that hopeful look didn't falter in Ruby's bright silver eyes. The heiress sighed, unable to deny her partner of this… insanity.

Even so, a part of her was happy to see Ruby so full of positive energy- genuine positivity, not the one she tried to fake. "Fine," Weiss sighed, "I will help you research this." She could already feel the squeal come from the girl. "However," Weiss held up a finger, "you are to follow everything I say concerning your training."

"Alright," Ruby quipped happily. And before Weiss could blink in surprise, Ruby had her arms around Weiss's neck, squeezing the air out of her partner in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered before dashing off.

Weiss was left in a daze, only coming back to her senses when Ruby was already halfway down the long hallway. "Wait, where are you going?" Weiss shouted after her.

Ruby spun around, not slowing down her pace. "The library," she yelled back.

A sigh escaped Weiss- she really wanted to keep researching her method as soon as possible. "Oh, no you don't." And Weiss was running after the rose petals. After the laughs that now filled the hall along with her heart.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"He's ready?" Ironwood asked the officer walking beside him.

The man nodded, gesturing towards the door. "We made sure to have the most secure cell prepared for him. And a few extra guards for his room."

Nodding, the general strolled into the interrogation room, the officer standing outside as he closed the door behind him. Inside, a simple metal table was placed in the middle of the room, where a man sat in an equally plain chair. In the barren room, the sitting man stood out like a peacock, red bowler hat covering his eyes and the bright orange hair. Two feet propped on the table, the man barely looked up as the door opened and spilled out Ironwood. "Well if it isn't the big man himself," the criminal boomed.

Ironwood didn't' rise up to the man's small talk. Nor did he take the seat across from him. "Talk," Ironwood demanded. "And maybe you'll receive a more comfortable cell."

Torchwick frowned, an eyebrow raised at the general's offer. "No reduced sentence?" he implored. "I thought that's how these interrogations worked."

Despite himself, Ironwood smirked and said, "At minimum, you might get four hundred years in jail as a combination of assault, first-degree murder-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Torchwick looked offended at that charge, finally sitting up properly. "I never killed anyone."

"You were linked to at least three deaths- two of them high ranking officials."

The criminal shook his head. "Did I supply them? Maybe- still have no blood on my hands though."

If he was any less composed, Ironwood would have sighed in frustration. "Regardless, reducing your sentence would only help half your sentence. Parole- maybe another quarter. And that leaves you-"

"I can do math," Torchwick interrupted as he pat his pockets in search of… something. "So, what? You gonna stick me in a cell for the rest of my days?"

"Where we put you is decided by how you want to answer our questions." Finally, Ironwood could get to his points. "First- why were you in Mountain Glenn?"

Torchwick shrugged, sitting back as he pulled out a cigar. Where he found that, Ironwood couldn't say- he thought his men searched the crime lord. Obviously, the man cared for his cigars. "Business," Torchwick answered simply.

"What business? With who?"

"Now, I can't disclose my clients," Torchwick tutted. "Privacy and all that."

That was the answer Ironwood expected but didn't want. He looked down at the tablet in his hands, shaking his head while he moved on. "What were you hoping to gain with this attack?"

"Nothing."

Ironwood looked up. "Nothing?" he repeated.

"It was either then or four months." Torchwick struggled to find something else before he sighed, setting the unsmoked cigar down. "And my employer's never going to let me live it down if I have to delay it that long- not to mention the expenses and extra strings I'd have to pull in order to fix the bombs."

"So, this wasn't your original plan."

"Nah- too sloppy. I'm telling you, there's no finesse. No flair in her plans. Well," now, the madman donned a wistful grin as he looked off in the distance, "not the Queen's anyway."

There was more than plot? "What does that mean?" Ironwood demanded. "Do you mean the Grimm?"

"Hey, he may be a Grimm, but Farayan understands people better than anyone on this ship. Possible exception of me, but I got caught here. Maybe he takes the title now. Now that means-"

"What does he have planned?" Ironwood asked again, interrupting the man's little rambling.

Torchwick rolled his eyes at the general. "It means," he started again, "that his plans are a secret to everyone but two people. Like it should be."

"You and Farayan?"

A dark chuckled came out of the criminal. "Absolutely not," Torchwick laughed at the idea. "Farayan and himself. Well, the boy in his brain. He's the reasonable one, though nowhere near as creative as the monster."

Ironwood raised an eyebrow at the man. "So you don't know their plans."

"Farayan's? No."

"The Queen's?"

"Vaguely." Torchwick sighed, staring up at the ceiling.

Ironwood leaned over the table, looking as menacing as possible. Evidently, Torchwick was immune as he didn't even spare the general a glance. "I'll give you one chance to tell me what she is planning."

"In return?"

"I'd imagine a pillow for your cell would be nice."

Torchwick laughed- he expected nothing less from Atlas's infamously ruthless general. "Well, she wants to take over Remnant. But Farayan and I have other ideas."

"Indeed?" Ironwood inquired.

"Yeah. Though, I don't know how he's going to do it."

This was going nowhere. Ironwood sighed as he turned around, rubbing his face with a gloved hand. "Well, one part in his play may be to let you out."

Now it was Ironwood's turn to surprise Torchwick. "Really?" he asked.

"Any thoughts on that?"

After a moment of thought, Torchwick hummed, "Must be his own plan then. I'm expendable to the Queen. Farayan, though?

"It's nice to be a psychopath's friend."

Ironwood considered his words, then he headed for the door. "Thank you," he said over his shoulder.

"What, no more questions?" Torchwick's question fell on deaf ears as the general was already out of the room, two guards with a new set of handcuffs for the criminal to wear. "Ah well," he sighed. Then, a grin settled as his hands were secured behind his back.

"At least I know I'm in safe hands."

 **AN: Oh, Torchwick's getting out. This, I will see done. Someone has to do it for him. Well, there's the last of the preparations. Besides one last loose end, but the main cast is here. Just need to break the spirits, then things will be done. I'm planning on finishing this story in around 2 months.**

 **Anyways, I don't have much to say this time.**

 **Signing off, Flames of Fire.**


	30. Chapter 30: One Last Time

**AN: Warning. This chapter gets a tad bit bloody towards the end. Anyway, happy new year everyone reading! Let's have one last setup chapter before we get into the good stuff, huh?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY, and I'm only using a few of their assets for... let's say personal enjoyment.**

Chapter 30: One Last Time

"The match is over! Team RWBY is the victor!"

The crowd cheered for the team still standing. Roaring with applause, the stadium jumped to its feet while the girls in the ring stood up and smiled, waving at the crowd. They were all soaking in the cheers, tired yet ecstatic after the match. Yang laughed as she waved at everyone, the other arms slung over her teammate's shoulders. Blake hated the spotlight, yet she still succumbed to the infectious mood- especially when it was emitted so much by the girl next to her.

Ruby and Weiss stood a bit further away, out of breath as the walked over to stand next to their teammates. Weiss wasn't built for the fast-paced, hectic team battles- more along the lines of individual duels. And Ruby…

She was trying a bit too hard for Weiss's taste, something the heiress told her that strained Ruby's smile. The girl had been flying over the arena, wowing fans and worrying about her team. Ruby was resilient, but even so, it seemed like there wasn't a single moment her Semblance wasn't on as she literally ran circles around her competition.

And yet, with that speed allowing her to evade any attack, Ruby's Aura dipped into the yellow. Without being touched. That meant one of two things- both of which Weiss didn't enjoy. The first: Ruby had been using her own Aura to power her Semblance instead of it naturally coming to her, like a self-taught skill and not something she had to try and achieve.

The second one was more probable, yet still concerning. And that was if Ruby took a few unseen blows. "You alright?" Weiss asked, barely loud enough for Ruby to hear over the crowd.

Ruby winced. "Yeah," she said unconvincingly.

Weiss sighed, but the forced smile had to stay for the crowd. "Please don't lie," she pled.

With her own sigh, Ruby ducked her head in embarrassment- one that the crowd was not the perpetrator for. "I might have taken a hit for one of Blake's clones," she admitted.

Oh, for the love of… "What did we say?" Weiss drawled.

"Trust our teammates," Ruby mumbled.

This time, it was Weiss who took the first action and nudged Ruby with her elbow. "We're smart, too. We know how to handle ourselves."

"I know."

Still, despite her concern, Weiss couldn't help but laugh. Trust her initial worry of Ruby's Semblance to turn out to be a clumsy mistake. Thinking the laugh was at her, Ruby pouted and pushed Weiss off balance, making her stumble before she regained her footing.

This time, it was Ruby's turn to be infected by Weiss's smile.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"So, what are we doing now?" Yang asked, walking with her arms folded behind her head.

Team RWBY was touring the stalls in the park- the ones in the festival, to be precise. A delightful aroma of various foods blew through the aisles of temporary stands- noodles and barbeques from Vale's roots mixing with Atlesian foods like elk and pine. Fresh fruit and dishes from Mistral, fish from Vacuo that made Blake drool before she controlled herself. Mingled in with the noises of shopkeepers yelling for a customer's attention. Food, toys, trinkets, and- Ruby's personal favorite- weapon mods lined the tops of each stand- eye candy for those that walked through the park.

"Food," Ruby moaned as her stomach growled in agreement.

"Sounds about right," Blake put in, smiling as Ruby blushed a vivid red.

"It's settled," Yang spoke before Weiss could agree, much to her annoyance. "Weiss, what do you want to eat?"

Weiss blinked for a moment, then she gazed over the dozens of stalls in dozens of rows. "I guess…" she drawled, a finger on her chin, "we could try something from Vacuo."

Yang clasped her hands together. "Right- so noodles." The blonde laughed at Weiss's indignant glare, ignored twice in a few short seconds. "I'm just messing with you," she joked. "So, you're interested in some seafood?"

"Yes." The faunus of the group said without hesitation, her posture rigid with seriousness.

"More like I've never had the chance to try their food," Weiss proclaimed, hiding her grin from Blake.

To the side, Ruby tilted her head as she stared at her partner. "You've tried Mistral's food?" she asked.

Weiss nodded. "With how our kingdoms are relatively close, I've had the opportunity to taste a few travelers' dishes."

"And?"

The heiress shrugged. "A bit sweet for me," she admitted. "Though, nowhere as sugary as the things here."

"Hey!" Yang looked offended when her teammate started to mention her own kingdom's food. "What's wrong with Vale's food?"

That was such a simple question, Weiss scoffed at it. "Everything you have has to be sweet or spicy, or else you consider it tasteless."

Yang paused, confused. "And that's bad… how?"

It took a lot out of Weiss to not scream out her angry surprise. Instead, she let out a tired breath as if to say, " _Why do I even bother?_ " "Why don't we try something weird?" Ruby asked, covering for both her sister and her partner from being at each other's throats over food of all things. "I thought I saw some Vacuo food that was… a delicacy."

Being the most knowledgeable of Vacuo, Blake raised an eyebrow. With how Ruby said 'delicacy', there must have been something to it. "By that you mean…" she started.

"There was a whole octopus on display," Ruby finished. "Along with some type of fish meat."

Only Blake didn't turn a pale shade when Ruby mentioned the cephalopod. "We probably shouldn't," Weiss denied with a shake of her head. And for once, Yang agreed without hesitation. "Perhaps something simpler?"

Ruby shrugged, but there was a smile on her face, and another one bloomed on Blake's. She could spot when someone got it their way, and Ruby looked satisfied at how easily the other two girls crumbled under their… other options. The faunus could see at least three other stalls with Vacuo delicacies that didn't have the extravagant foods Ruby mentioned.

In short, they had been played. "Noodles and fish?" Ruby suggested, sharing a knowing look with Blake. Even though they didn't understand what the two girls knew, Yang and Weiss were happy to agree with Ruby's choice. A minute of searching later, the girls sat at a stall, goaded and teased by the sounds of sizzling meat and the smell of boiling noodles.

Four bowls laid in front of them, and as the team was about to dig in, a voice interrupted their dinner. "Hello again!"

Team RWBY spun around on their stools, smiling and waving back at the redhead dressed as a gladiator. "Hey, Pyrrha," Ruby greeted.

"And?" another girl's voice implored, playfully indignant.

Ruby laughed. "It's nice to see the rest of you as well," she said to the rest of Team JNPR. Though, her gaze lingered on the blonde boy for a hint longer. "Hey, Jaune."

The boy in question averted his gaze, rubbing the back of his neck. He was still unsure how awkward things were between them after the Ball. "Hi," he mumbled.

Sighing, Ruby placed her hands in her lap. "Jaune, I forgive you," she said- a few months late on that apology, but now was better than never.

Jaune jerked his head up, surprise widening his eyes. "What?" he said dumbly.

"Weiss explained to me what you guys did," Ruby replied as she gave her partner a short peek out of the corner of her eye. "You could've just been honest with me."

Jaune chuckled, ready for his next words to backfire. "No offense, Ruby," he tried, "but you weren't exactly in the best of moods back then." Ruby let out her own nervous chuckle. Before she could speak, Jaune went on, "Ruby, can I talk to you?" He glanced at the others who looked back at their conversation. "Alone?"

The girl in question pouted. "But," she whined, "food." She held up her bowl for Jaune to see.

In response, Ruby found herself left with Jaune as her entire team scooted down the stall, at least five seats away as they conversed with the rest of JNPR. "Well, that's one way to do it," Jaune muttered to himself as he took the seat next to Ruby.

Ruby merely sighed, turning around again as she picked up a pair of chopsticks. "So, what did you want to say in private?" she asked Jaune.

The girl was slurping away as Jaune answered, "I didn't want to embarrass you, but… are you sure you're okay? No, I dunno, memory loss or anything?"

Her slurping was cut off, biting off her mouthful and swallowing quickly to punctuate her frown with biting words. "Very sure."

Under her glare, Jaune held up his hands in surrender. "I'm only asking because you already apologized," he rushed out.

Ruby's cold stare was replaced by a look of surprise. Then, a hint of dread crept in. "What?" she blanked.

"Back there." The blonde boy jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the stall filled with snacks. "You rambled over an apology over a quick drink," Jaune commented. "That's why I'm asking about-"

"What drink?" Ruby demanded. There was one other explanation, and it filled Ruby with… something horrible.

"I don't know," Jaune admitted. "Sandy, or something?"

"Shandy." Ruby threw her chopsticks down, her appetite spoiled in three sentences. "That wasn't me," Ruby muttered, groaning as she put her face in her hands.

"Huh?" Jaune was lost by how quickly Ruby's demeanor changed.

"That was Farayan," Ruby mumbled in her hands.

The girl's words were barely recognizable, but Jaune could still make out what Ruby was trying to say. "Did you say 'Farayan'?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "But, he's in Atlas, isn't he?"

"No." Ruby sighed as she pulled herself out of her palms, staring at the counter with eyes that could only be described as "depressed". "We didn't tell you guys what happened before the Breach, did we?"

Jaune tilted his head, worried by Ruby's sudden question. "You told us about the train and how Torchwick-"

"Before that," Ruby interrupted as she remembered how much her team had said as to not upset her. "We… found Farayan."

"In Mountain Glenn?" Jaune asked wide-eyed. "Is that why-?"

"Why Ozpin asked us to go? Yeah." Ruby sighed, cupping her hands around the bowl for warmth, despite it being a nice spring day. "He didn't know it was Farayan," she rushed on, noticing the boy's soured expression. "But, yeah. He was supposed to be an informant."

"An informant? For what?"

Ruby bit her lip, turning away from her friend. "I can't say," she admitted.

"Because you don't know or because Ozpin told you not to?" Jaune asked.

"The second one. And, I guess a bit of the first as well."

Jaune could tell that this topic was winding down with Ruby unable or unwilling to answer much else. "Anyway," he redirected the conversation, "Farayan's back."

A dark expression fell on Ruby's face as she ducked her head. "Yeah," she mumbled. And to herself, "What does he want with my friends?"

The girl felt an awkward hand place itself on her shoulder. "Hey," he reassured, "it's going to be fine."

Ruby didn't respond, still wondering just what her 'friend' was up to. " _The match between Team JNPR and BRNZ will commence in fifteen minutes._ " The message blared through the intercoms scattered around the festival, heads looking up with anticipation.

"Well, that's us." Jaune stood up as he gave Ruby one last confident smile. "Wish us luck."

"You've got Pyrrha and Nora," Ruby shot back, forcing her smile. Impeccable, even with the corners of her eyes wrinkling as if it was genuine.

"What, no love for me?"

"Please, have you seen how much Nora can lift?"

Jaune's grin grew wider as he laughed. "You made your point. See ya, Ruby." And the boy set off, joining the rest of his team. When his back was turned, Ruby let go of her happy mask, returning to a contemplative frown.

Apparently, she still had to worry about Farayan. Nervously licking her lips, Ruby patted her pockets, finding the bit of paper as she held onto it like a treasure. If all went well, she would be able to get her friend back. For good.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Who next: Velvet?"

Farayan asked the girl sitting next to him, musing with his head propped up by his arms. Beside him, the black-haired girl beside him licked her lips as she lifted another scoop of ice cream to her mouth, then she frowned at Farayan's sentence. The short girl gave him a pointed look, not making a sound as she ate her spoonful, the sweet treat unable to correct the frown.

"You're right- too soon." Farayan pulled himself off his arms as he surveyed his surroundings. "You think it's too soon to target another one?" he wondered.

A rhetorical question, but his partner raised an eyebrow at him. " _What do you think?_ " it seemed to say.

Farayan hummed to himself, tapping the counter impatiently. "Well, we're almost in Round two," he spoke, this time to the girl. He glanced over. "When's their match?"

The girl didn't spare him a glance with her green and black eyes, making a few gestures with her hand not spooning more of her dessert into her mouth. "Tonight at nine, huh?" She made another series of hand gestures. "Sorry, tomorrow," Farayan corrected himself. "Morning or night?"

A silent sigh escaped her as the girl made to wave her hand again. But, Farayan grabbed it, eliciting a glare from her. "Dumb question," Farayan chagrinned. "Sorry, Neo." The now named girl nodded as she put her attention back on the ice cream. Neo- in her Beacon disguise- scooped out the last of her strawberry treat and plopped it in her mouth just as Farayan grinned next to her. "You excited?" he asked.

Neo smiled, an insanely happy glimmer in her eyes as she glanced at the boy by her side. A small nod and she was back to savor the vendor's once-in-a-lifetime ice cream. Farayan may be a Grimm at heart in a teen's body, but he had a mind of an artist.

And she was ready to play to his tune, even if her favorite crime lord wasn't freed- Farayan's plan was fun enough to see it through. As the conspirator, of course.

 **-xXxX-The next day-XxXx-**

"Alright, you ready?"

Neo grinned back, nodding with the enthusiasm of a seven-year-old and looking every bit like an innocent kid, not at all linked to a dozen crimes in each kingdom. And that was a generous estimate. Still, when no one knew her background, it was hard to link the pure green and black eyes to a criminal's. "Go get 'em," Farayan grinned as he pushed the girl through the door.

Neo gave the boy one last wink as the door close behind her, chiming the bell that hung over it. She turned back to examine the shop- a little coffee shop without all the cheer and rowdiness Neo was expecting. It looked nice and cozy. Peaceful. With mugs lined up behind the counter, used not that often due to it being a bit of a specialist coffee shop.

Maybe that was why Emerald loved this place- calm and cozy, a little near the higher-end, and a prime place for pick-pocketing.

But the girl's main focus was supposed to be on the customers, not the store. Neo focused back on her task and spotted her target- one that sat in the nearby corner next to the window, though still not out in the open. Neo strolled over, wiping off the smirk on her as she put on an annoyed look. She strolled over to the girl at the table who sat there, sipping away at a steaming cup of light brown.

The green-haired girl didn't realize Neo's presence until she was hovering right next to her, tapping her foot impatiently. "Hey, Neo," Emerald greeted, missing the annoyance on her teammate's face. "What brings you here?"

Neo sighed, jerking her head towards the empty chair across from the teen. "Sure, sit down. Not like Mercury's going to come here." Emerald scoffed into her coffee, voice distorted as she talked into the cup. "I'm never going to let him in here, you know? He's too impatient to appreciate this."

The chair squeaked as Neo sat down, rolling her eyes. That, Emerald couldn't miss. And as she actually put some effort into reading into Neo's body language, the girl frowned. "Why are you here?" she questioned. Neo wasn't known for wanting to mingle with the others on their off time, so her appearance in the coffee shop was either a coincidence or business. "Did Cinder send you?"

Shaking her head, Neo pulled out her Scroll, fingers flying as she typed with the speed of a regular person on a keyboard, not a phone text. A few seconds later, the heterochromatic girl pushed her device across the table. Emerald tilted her head to read her message better, then she cursed. "You have to be kidding me," she muttered.

Mercury was a dead man.

Neo shook her head- the annoyed expression made a lot more sense now. "He's drunk?" Emerald demanded.

Neo nodded.

"I have to bail him out, don't I?"

Another nod.

"He's dead," the dark-skinned girl cursed under her breath. "Cinder's gonna kill him after I do." Emerald directed her words back to the girl across from her. "Where is he now- Junior's?" That bar popped to the top of Emerald's head, one of the only places Mercury could get drunk without too many questions.

Neo nodded yet again, this time taking the Scroll and typing two simple words before handing it back to Emerald. " _Private Room._ " She sighed as a bit of the stress went away. "Thanks for that," Emerald breathed out. "Cinder would've killed me if Merc gave away the entire plans- he gets mouthy when he's drunk." Almost as if she hated the cup for being in the wrong, Emerald glared at her coffee. Of course, Mercury would still find a way to sour whatever she enjoyed- even if he did it halfway across town.

Downing the rest of her drink, Emerald set down her mug with a thud, along with a wad of Lien that included quite the generous tip. "Let's go," Emerald sighed while she wiped the stain around her lips. The girl looked up to see an evil smirk greet her. "I know," she sighed, "I owe you now. What do you want- ice cream or something?"

The silent girl didn't say a word. She led Emerald out the door and into the bright midday sun as she took the secluded girl clubbing.

 **-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-**

"Hey, Neo," Junior greeted, looking up from the bar to see his only daytime customer. "Your day-drinker friend is up in Room 4." He turned to the second girl in front of him, looking at the dark-skinned student with judging eyes. "I'm assuming you're his friend?"

"Barely," Emerald muttered as she glared at the owner. Not as if he was in any fault- Emerald just wanted to glare at something, and Neo wasn't an option. The crazy psycho was one of the only women she feared, the top of the short list being Cinder. Although, they were scary for different reasons. Cinder for her power and openness to use it on those who defied her, and Neo because of her unpredictability.

So, Junior had to bear the brunt of Emerald's pent-up anger, and he was doing a swell job at handling it. "Thanks for giving him a private room," Emerald said to their host.

Junior shrugged, turning around to get back taking inventory of his spirits. "Neo insisted," the man said without another glance. "Plus, I'll charge Neo extra unless you guys clean up the mess." He had no need turning around to know that Neo's eyes bore into himself. "You didn't think this was free," Junior jested. "No. If it gets bloody, you're cleaning it up."

Emerald got the message- if she wanted to beat up Mercury, she'd have to do it out of the building. "Thanks anyway," she thanked again before Neo could reach over the counter. The dark-skinned girl's hand pulled her acquaintance's arm away, jumping away like her sleeve was fire when Neo turned to glare at Emerald. "Not worth it," she objected, trying to match glares with her own, hopefully without the shudder Emerald felt inside.

After a moment of cold silence, Neo rolled her eyes and backed away towards the dark hall in the back of the massive room. Following in her skipping footsteps, Emerald surveyed the red, dimly lit walls. Stained with what she hoped was alcohol, the entire area smelled of cleaning supplies, making the teen wrinkle her nose and stick towards the middle of the hall. After a bit of walking, Emerald watched as Neo steer towards the side, coming to a stop in front of one of the many black doors. A blood-red "4" plastered on the front, and a "Do Not Disturb" sign- Emerald was sure that was stolen from some hotel- hung from the handle.

Bowing like a butler, Neo pushed open the door and stepped to the side, gesturing Emerald inside. Without even being inside, Emerald felt the wave of nausea as she an assortment of vomit, bleach, and indescribable stenches assaulted her nose. Deep breaths came from the dark-skinned girl's mouth as she pinched her nose shut. "Couldn't Junior have picked a less repulsive room?" she complained.

Neo had no snarky looks, equally as disgusted as her friend at the state of the room. "Merc. Get your ass over here," Emerald snapped in a nasally voice. She stepped inside, taking one sweep around the room with her piercing red eyes. "You better have a good… excuse…" The teen's snappy tone died in her throat as she took a better survey of the room.

There was no Mercury. No sound of his groan or a piece of his clothing in sight. What the room had was all its furniture- the stained bed, table, and chairs- pressed against the back of the room. To the side, a simple, metal armchair was placed out on its own. As Emerald looked over the room, the door clicked close behind, another click signaling that it was locked. She whipped around, eyes widening at the deviant smile on Neo's face as she stood in front of the door. "This was a setup," Emerald breathed as she tried to force the panic back into the pit where it came from.

"Yeah, about that." The new voice made the dark-skinned girl whirl around again, and the dread she tried to force down found new energy. A new source to draw from as it filled her body. From behind the bed, a boy pushed himself up to a sitting position. Hair shades too black to be Mercury's, and his voice was a bit higher pitched. But, he carried the same crazed air Neo had on at all times, one she saw on only two other people. Roman Torchwick.

And Farayan.

The teen climbed over the bed, and he walked towards a stunned Emerald. And in that frozen moment, Emerald made a decision. Her eyes flared as her Semblance activated, making Farayan see a frozen teen as Emerald ran back towards the door. She pushed past Neo who was unprepared, throwing her to the side before fiddling with the lock. But, as the handle finally gave away after a brief moment, Emerald screamed in pain. Her hand was now impaled into the door, held by small Nevermore feather.

"Sorry, Ems." With a shaking hand, Emerald tried to pull the feather out of her hand, biting down shrieks and holding back tears as it failed to come out. "Grimm senses aren't the same as a human's. Neo told me all about your Semblance, and I gotta say: you're interesting. But, you can't fake body heat with your illusions."

Emerald didn't respond as she was busy numbing the pain in her body. Her hand surged with Aura as it tried to heal it. While it glowed a bright green, Farayan yanked the feather out in one go, making the girl bite on her tongue as she muffled the scream that tried to escape. "Now, this can go one of two ways," Farayan murmured in her ear. Emerald collapsed into Farayan's arms, holding her injured hand as he helped her down to the floor. "Either you cooperate, or we can make you."

She tried to fight them off, but with two-on-one and Emerald's injured hand, they eventually restrained her in the metal chair with an excessive amount of rope. Farayan sighed, nursing a few bruises, and turned toward his conspirator. "Come on," he whined. "Ems, I'd really hate to hurt you more."

"More?" Emerald gasped out.

Farayan nodded, pulling another bladed feather off himself. "We can make you disappear." He watched as Emerald started to struggle again, desperate to escape her fate. "Not that kind of disappear," he snapped. "We got a few tickets to Mistral if you want."

That… was oddly humane of Farayan. And that humanity made Emerald suspicious of what kind of trip it was. "What are you going to do?" she asked, voice quivering with effort.

"To you? Hopefully, nothing." Farayan's eyes rolled to the back of his head. "I don't _want_ you to die. It would be inconvenient, and Farayan wouldn't like it. But, if you get in the way, it's not like I would lose sleep."

Emerald was still wary of what Farayan had in store. "What do you want?" she demanded again. There was no way a deal with a monster had no drawbacks.

Farayan clapped his hands, rubbing them together with a grin on his face. "I'm glad you asked," he boomed. His eyes twinkled with mischief. "I need two things from you: the first is your Aura." The teen held up a hand as Emerald made to gasp. "Just a decent- not all of it. I heard a blood transfusion can work as long as it's recent enough.

"And, fortunately," Farayan waved towards Neo who now sported a needle, flicking the tube to make sure it was stable. The blood drained from Emerald's face as the boy went on, "We have a way to do that."

Her eyes still glued on the "medical device", Emerald asked the boy, "If I don't want to do that?"

A frown marred Farayan's face. "Then I take it from your corpse," he answered. "Dying bodies exude- that's the right usage of that word? - a lot of Aura at once."

With that, Emerald knew the preferred answer. At least, for that demand. "And the second request?" Emerald asked.

"Well…" Farayan sat on the bed, scratching his neck unconsciously. "If you want to leave, you're betraying Cinder. And I know how you don't want to do that-"

"Not happening."

"-but if you want to live, that's what you'll have to do. So, what I need you to do is not inform Cinder you're running away." Emerald paused, considering his offer. "Today," he added. "And also you can't warn her that I'm going to kill her."

At that, the green-haired girl strained in her bonds again. "You can't!" she shrieked.

"Actually, I can," Farayan interrupted. "Remember: your Aura seeps out of mortal wounds. So I can kill you now to keep your silence." Farayan strolled over and offered his hand. "What do you say?" he quipped. "Death or betrayal?"

"I won't betray Cinder," Emerald hissed. She leaned forward, teeth bared as if she wanted to bite off Farayan's fingers. Which, in this situation, was not out of the question.

"Last chance," Farayan warned.

Emerald leaned forward. Fear danced in her dulling red eyes, but another emotion shone through. Defiance. "Over my dead body," she spat through gritted teeth.

Her loss. Farayan shrugged, not giving much thought as he stepped forward, twirling the long feather in his hands. As he got face-to-face with the shivering girl, however, a hand pushed him back slightly. Confused, the boy looked at Neo who was laying out black and red clothes in a circle around Emerald's chair. "Hey," he exclaimed. "What are you doing with my clothes?"

Neo made a few gestures, barely slowing down as she finished the ring of cloth. A cheerful smile brightened her face just as Farayan understood her rapid sign language. "Junior," Farayan groaned, throwing his head back. "And you couldn't talk him out of it?" he whined. His friend shook her head, looking as happy as can be while Farayan groaned again. "Fine, fine- what's the least messy way to do this, you know?"

Three quick movements from Neo's hands. She poked her heart twice then shoved the open air. Farayan nodded, looking almost philosophical as he thought about it. In a swift movement, before Emerald could flinch, Farayan jerked towards the bound girl, plunging the blade in with a meaty squelch.

Emerald didn't scream. One moment, she was numb with fear, and the next she was just numb. She'd only register her stabbing when her body jerked back, looking down with a shuddered breath at the black feather sticking halfway through her chest. With weak arms, the dying girl tried to grasp the handle. Tried to pull it out so her Aura could work on the wound. But, her arms were bounded, and blood seeped out too quick to be helped. After a few seconds of struggling, Emerald slumped forward. Minutes later, her breathing stopped. Body still warm but eyes cold and lifeless- Emerald had taken her last breath.

Oh well, it couldn't be helped, Farayan thought while he yanked out his weapon. The rest of Emerald's bright green Aura poured into the wound, trying to save a life already gone. The boy pushed the body back and made Emerald's body sit upright, hands cupped around the wound, and he concentrated. He couldn't see himself as his eyes were closed, but Emerald's Aura stopped trying to close the wound and instead found its new host.

Now, with Farayan and his first host, the Grimm retained his memories from years of assimilation. But in Emerald's case, he didn't have the luxury of time. Although, what he did get was enough. A bit more than enough, to be honest. " _Where am I?"_ a panicked voice- a new but recognizable voice- quavered.

Farayan grinned. "Welcome to the mindscape, Emerald," he quipped at the air. "Well, that's what the Farayan-boy calls it."

" _What have you done?_ " He could imagine the disembodied voice whizzing through his mind as it tried to free itself.

"Ems, you could've made this so much simpler if you wanted to. If you'd just taken the tickets, you would've been fine."

The girl's voice stayed silent. " _There were no tickets, were there?_ " she accused.

"No, there were." As proof, Farayan took the small slip of paper out of his pocket and held it in front of his own eyes. "You had a choice."

" _Emerald?_ " There was the original trapped voice. The original Farayan emerged, solemn and sad that another fell victim to Farayan's schemes. " _Did you get caught, too?_ "

" _Who are you?_ " Emerald's voice demanded.

"It's the merry trio," the host exclaimed, clapping his hands together. "Now, we can't keep calling me Farayan because there's already one," he tapped the side of his head, "up here. So, call me Ash now. Or Daniel. I always wanted to be a Daniel."

" _Ash,_ " Farayan's voice interrupted. Ash pouted, annoyed at the lack of respect. " _Get to the point._ "

At that, Ash tilted his head in confusion. "What point?" he replied. "I just needed Emerald's Aura- tastes like coffee, by the way."

" _But…_ " Emerald was resigned to her fate. Ash felt the lingering despair, although the panic no longer filled a good portion of his mind. " _Why did you need me?_ "

" _I'd like to know as well,_ " Farayan spoke soon after. " _You haven't even told me about everything in this… plan, if you can even call it that._ "

Ash's expression soured. "I'll have you know, this is an exquisite plan. One that Neo and I came up with." He gave a bright grin to Neo who smiled back as she cleaned up the clothes on the ground, tying a few together that surrounded Emerald's wound.

The out of body experience messed with Emerald's mind, and she mentally vomited in her mind. The amount of blood, the lifeless dull eyes how it moved like a doll under Neo's hands- "Oops," Ash apologized, turning away from the scene. "That might not be the best idea to keep staring.

"Anyways, I do have a plan. Neo told me about what Cinder wanted you to do." Ash concentrated, sinking back into his mind as it observed Emerald's presence.

" _What are you-?_ " Emerald's silent screams went off, ringing in Ash's head as he tore into her Aura once again. Ignoring her pained cries, Ash examined everything about Emerald's being- the scar that refused to heal along her leg, the freckles she masked with a thin layer of makeup. Every minuscule detail was now imprinted in his own memories.

After what felt like an eternity, Ash stopped his assault, leaving Emerald's Aura to shudder and compose itself. He would've hated to vegetablize his newest companion so soon. "Thank you for your contribution," he quipped aloud, misreading the girl's sobs in his head. One more time, the boy delved back into his mind. In the real world, his skin darkened, and his face thinned out. The boy's red eyes darkened and shifted, his body slimming as the clothes on him became baggy.

A minute of concentration, then Ash opened his eyes. He examined his sugary coffee-brown skin before looking back at Neo. The girl stared back, wide-eyed and tilting her head as she put a contemplative finger to her chin. "What do you think?" Ash asked, his voice sounding higher and with a bit of a bite to every word. He spun around in his new body, feeling the breeze as the now baggy clothes puffed out just a bit.

Neo nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

Ash smiled back, but then a flicker of anger crossed his face. "Shoot, the clothes," he groaned while he slapped a palm on his forehead. "I wasn't supposed to ruin her clothes." Before he could lament more over his mistakes, a stack of cloth smacked his face, catching it as the pile fell into his arms. Spitting out a piece of string, Ash glared at the bundle in his hands. Then, his frown flipped. "Thanks, Neo!" Ash beamed.

A smile was sent back his way. After all, it wasn't that hard to snag some of Emerald's clothes from her drawer in Beacon.

 **AN: Yeah, sorry Emerald. No redemption for you in this one. Hello, it's Fireflame. And I gotta be honest, I've been slacking during winter break. Like, _hard_ slacking. I'm gonna try and get out of that habit, but it's difficult when I'm waking up at like noon, sometimes at two. But, it's the second semester of senior year. I think I'm gonna have a lot of spare time, and I'm gonna try to focus more on writing. **

**Anyway, this next chapter's gonna be long. And it's gonna be fun but horrible for me. January 15th- I'll make sure to get it out.**

 **Signing out, Flames of Fire.**


	31. Chapter 31: The Grand Finale

**AN: Yeah it's a day late. I had this done yesterday at around nine and passed out, almost missing my first class. So yeah, my bad. But, on the good side: I finally get to the grand finale. So here it is.**

 **Let's spice things up- I'm killing and/or injuring at least two characters. So here's a list of potential people: Weiss, Velvet, Blake, Yang, Coco, Cinder. Choose one to save- actually, let's take Cinder off the list. I have... plans for that one.**

 **Disclaimer: don't own RWBY or RT. Also, mind the violence and torture I'm about to induce.**

Chapter 31: The Grand Finale

"Where's Emerald?" Cinder grumbled under her breath. It was finally the day- the day that all her plans would come to fruition. All she needed now was Mercury and Emerald's help to create a bit of descent between Vale's finalists and the rest of Remnant.

But right now, the girl was taking her sweet time. Cinder crossed her arms, trying to put on a bored expression as students and citizens alike passed her. She stood at the stadium entrance, on a ledge to get the best vantage point over the people pouring through the doors. It was half an hour before the first round- the round they needed to act upon.

And with the lines they had to get through, along with trying to find the perfect seat to use Emerald's Semblance, they were cutting through their time very quickly. And as Cinder's anger turned to dread, she spotted the bowl of green hair approaching. She waited as the girl came to the front, a scowl marring her delicate face. "Where have you been?" Cinder demanded.

At least Emerald had the decency to look abashed. "I was making sure Neo was ready," she admitted, holding her arm like she always did whenever she was embarrassed.

Cinder huffed- not like it could be helped. With Farayan's sudden absence, she had asked Emerald to watch over Roman's old partner as Neo was the closest to Farayan. Besides Roman, but the criminal was still locked up. With all that said, for the days that led up to the finals, Emerald had been tailing Neo to make sure she wasn't in contact with Farayan.

The dual-colored girl must have been impacted by Roman's arrest more than Cinder realized- she'd been visiting the same ice cream shop for the past few days, staying there for hours at a time. Cinder scoffed at the idea. Despite her cold appearance, Neo was too possessive of her friends.

"Cinder?" Emerald asked.

The woman in question shook her head, coming back into the real world. "Get inside," she snapped at the girl. They were running short on time, and Cinder was running short on patience.

"Yes ma'am," Emerald replied without hesitation. With renewed spirits, the green-haired girl shouldered her way through the crowd, ignoring the outcries and exclamations as she pushed people out of her way.

Cinder nodded- Emerald was always her most loyal worker. She frowned, however. There was a moment she could've sworn a grin flickered over the teen's face. None of her usual smirks that pissed off Mercury- this one was almost feral, splitting her face with a Cheshire grin that chilled even Cinder's blood. And when she blinked, the grin was gone.

Cinder shook her head as she followed the girl. The stress must have been messing with her mind, she thought.

-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-

"Ruby, quit worrying. You're gonna make me think about you during the match."

Yang was doing her pre-fight stretches, making sure her joints were loose and muscles awake. In the finalists' room, those competing were spread out through the massive space. Each had their teams surrounding them, giving their last pep-talks and wishes of good luck. With eight finalists, Yang eyed the others with a critical gaze, wondering which three she would have to fight. The most obvious would have been Pyrrha- even with the upper years, the blonde expected her to be a finalist.

Then there was Sun- Blake's "friend." Even though they had interacted a few times, not to mention their little late-night Roman bashing, he was still an opponent in the tournament. And the other one Yang was especially wary of was the girl in the back. Innocent-looking with her red hair and freckles, green eyes that matched her blouse. Ruby's friend: Penny. Yang had no idea that she was even a part of the Festival, but from Ruby's description, she might have been a bigger threat than even the "Invincible Girl".

Even while she was trying to concentrate on the Vytal Festival, a part of Yang's mind still lingered with Ruby who scuffed her feet against the ground, nervous without all the happy energy Yang expected from her. "Yang," Ruby tried to plead again, "just be careful out there."

"No can do, sis," Yang answered without looking at her sister. "It's the finals!"

"What she means," Weiss tried with a sigh, "is that- despite my best judgment- you are the most valuable person at the moment."

"Why, Weiss. I didn't know you thought so highly of me."

A grin made its way on Yang's face as an annoyed frown found a home on Weiss's. "You're expected to fight for at least two rounds," the heiress snapped. "If you blow your energy on the first round, you won't do well in the second."

Ruby frowned. "That's not what I-"

"Got it." Yang inspected her gauntlets one last time. Both were fully loaded, and Yang took a peek inside to see if the wires and whatnot would be fine. With her final checks done, the blonde jumped in place, eager to start the fight. She was ready half an hour ago, and the nervous energy was starting to fade. "End the fight quickly," Yang planned. "Make sure to not have any major injuries."

The jitters didn't disappear as Weiss hoped, but she still made a show of turning towards Ruby. "Alright," she said to her teammates, though the words of encouragement were mainly for Ruby. "I'm glad we got that straightened out."

"But-" Ruby clamped down on her retort, forcing a smile under Weiss's pointed stare. "Good luck, sis," she said instead with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

"Just cheer me on," Yang beamed back.

"All finalists: the opening round will begin in five minutes. Please proceed to the platform." Goodwitch's voice sounded through the intercoms, and those participating looked up at the ceiling as if the professor was there in person.

"That's our queue," Blake commented. Weiss nodded and grabbed Ruby's elbow, tugging lightly to get her partner to follow. "We'll try and find seats at the front."

Yang's grin only broadened as she watched her friends backtrack along with the other teams. "Just get the best angle when I win," she quipped.

With one last round of goodbyes, the three girls walked away, passing through the private- yet noisy- halls. "Why are you so worried?" Weiss asked as soon as they were around the first corner.

Ruby jerked her head up, startled out of her musings by the sudden question. "What?" With her head in the clouds, Ruby bumped into a girl trying to pass her, rushing out a quick "Sorry!" as the girl gave her an annoyed look. The green-haired girl went in the opposite direction, adjusting the bag on her shoulder as Ruby jogged up to her teammates. "What did you say?" she asked Weiss.

"You shouldn't make your sister more nervous than she already is," Blake chastised, eliciting a nod from the heiress. "It won't help her."

"I know that," Ruby shot back. Then, her head bowed as she picked at her fingernails. "It's just…" She sighed, "Today's probably going to be the day."

Her teammates tilted their heads, confused. "The day for what?" Weiss asked.

"For Farayan to do… whatever he does." All three girls winced, their bad moods masked by the roaring crowd they were entering. Even with the private section reserved for the finalists' teams, the sound in the stadium was enough to fill Vale with a plethora of noise. Condensed into such a small area, the noise was almost deafening. "Everyone's at the opening," Ruby went on. "And Farayan always wants to make a spectacle."

"What?" Weiss yelled next to her. She couldn't hear the person literally next to her when Ruby's voice sounded like a buzz under the roaring crowd.

Ruby looked back up with a smile. "Nothing!" she shouted back. Her lips quivered as Weiss gave her a pointed look. "I- I have a feeling Farayan's going to act soon," she admitted.

Trying to alleviate the concern, Weiss gave her partner a small nudge before resting a hand on the girl's dainty one. "It'll be fine," Weiss shouted back with a reassuring smile. "Ozpin tightened security, and Ironwood has increased Atlas's presence around the stadium."

The reaper nodded, sitting in her seat with a smile sent back to Weiss. They turned to the stadium, awaiting the contenders. Though, Ruby still couldn't shake off that feeling of dread. Call it a gut instinct, but she palmed her Scroll in her lap, ready at a moment's notice for a call.

-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-

Cinder growled, eyeing the empty seat next to her. Where the hell was Emerald? She could have sworn the teen had gone ahead of her. The woman could remember seeing Emerald's grass-green hair up until they came out of the tunnel, connecting the concrete halls to the stadium's seats. But she'd lost sight of her as the world brightened, the setting sun still creating a drastic difference in lighting. And while her eyes adjusted, Emerald was nowhere to be seen.

Hopefully, the girl was taking the other entrance to get to their seats, but hope was too unreliable. Cinder cursed- another one of her assets going against her plans. At least Emerald was loyal- earning a decent amount of leniency from her boss. But Cinder's patience was running thin very quickly.

"You better have a good reason," Cinder growled, the poor boy next to her shrinking away into his teammate's personal space. Smoke started to rise from her palms, and the woman had no intention of trying to stop it. They only cooled down when those behind her hissed at Cinder. Attention would be horrible at a time like this, so she reluctantly controlled her powers.

"Emerald, where are you?"

-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-

"And here come the finalists!"

Yang squinted as the panel opened above her, red sunlight streaming in. She had to raise an arm to block the brightness from blinding her, then- without warning- the floor beneath her started to rise. Slow enough so Yang wasn't stumbling, but it still was an unpleasant jerk.

And when her eyes adjusted, the brawler found herself in the middle of the arena. Surrounded by all sides by adoring fans, Yang found that already having her arm up was nice while she waved at the crowd. Spinning around with a dumb grin on her face, Yang scanned the crowd for her sister.

There- near the commentators' box and close to the front. Yang's arm waved faster, and she laughed as her sister shot to her feet with her own wave. "Yes, it is all very exciting to see our finalists," Ozpin's voice boomed through the stadium. On the half-dozen screens around the arena, the headmaster's face smiled, his voice and image stretched and enlarged to larger-than-life proportions. "Although."

"I'd imagine we would all love to see who will be in our first match, hmm?"

The crowd cheered in agreement. "Very well." Ozpin's image was replaced by a simple matchup screen. Two boxes, equidistant on either side with a bold "Vs" in between. "Let us see who our first two are."

The crowd cheered one last time before the noise died, replaced by a tension that was as stifling as the noise.

-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-

Down below the arena, one last platform had yet to be raised. And it wasn't planned to be raised. That didn't stop a cloaked figure from stepping on the circular, white panel. She listened as the crowd cheered, fiddling with the handful of devices tucked into a pocket. Ozpin's voice boomed overhead, muffled and distorted as it came from above and from behind, his voice running through the halls and creating echoes as it came.

Then, Ozpin spoke one last time as the voices died. The figure grinned, putting her hand up to her ear. With a click of a button, the earpiece was connected, beeping as the line went to an unknown recipient. "Showtime," the girl sang. Bubbly with excitement, the cloaked figure bounced up and down while her platform rose, slower than the others.

-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-

Ruby stared at the floating screens, eyes glued on the shimmering blue. And a few moments after the crowd went silent, the screens whirled to life. Headshots of the finalists cycled through the two boxes onscreen. And, interestingly, so did the "Vs", turning into a blur in its own square.

She could see Yang's face a few times, along with the others. But, a frown came to her lips as she continued to stare. One by one, each face was replaced by a number. First, Sun's image was replaced by a "1". Then Yang's with a "2". One by one, each profile was gone. "What?" Ruby heard Ozpin's quiet exclamation over the crowd's own confusion.

Something was wrong. Ruby's fears were confirmed as the first box slowed down, landing on a 7. A seven that looked like it was pulled straight out of a slot machine. Bright red, with gold dots outlining the edges. "It's happening," Ruby cursed.

Around the arena, spectators murmured to themselves. The seven must have been a technical difficulty. Or maybe someone was pulling an elaborate prank on them. Either way, the crowd was confused, outraged by an inevitable hold-up.

"You think it's-"

"Positive," Ruby interrupted Weiss, jumping out of her chair. "It's him," she hissed to her teammates. "Come on."

"Ruby, wait!" Weiss stopped her partner from getting past. She clamped down on the distraught girl's wrist, although she and Blake still stood up. "Where are you going?"

Ruby barely spared the heiress a glance before she ripped her hand out of her grasp. "Weapons," she said simply. Her teammates nodded, and the rest of Team RWBY left their seats, scooting pass indignant teens and running for the exits.

All the while, a woman watched them from behind. Her eyes narrowed, wondering what Team RWBY knew that she didn't.

-xXxX-Line Break-XxXx-

"What's going on?" Sun asked the other finalists.

Everyone was staring up at the screens, watching as the "Vs" symbol was replaced by a second seven. Yang whirled around, trying to see if her teammates had come to the same conclusion she had. Her heart skipped a beat as her lilac eyes landed on three empty seats. She stared for a moment longer before Sun's voice brought her back to the moment. "What the…?"

The third "7" had appeared onscreen, and the stadium was filled with a classic bell ringing through the speakers, only adding to the chaos the people started to descend into. "Pyrrha," Yang yelled to her right. The redhead's head whipped towards Yang, wide eyes hoping for some answers. "I don't like the look of this," Yang warned.

That was evidently not the answer Pyrrha was hoping for, as she tilted her head, a perplexed expression morphing her face. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"There seem to be some technical difficulties," Ozpin's voice sounded over the crowd and electronic bells. "We're sorry for this inconvenience."

Yang's eyes narrowed, and her gauntlets cocked. There was a slight waver in Ozpin's apology- with enough time around the headmaster, she realized what that meant. He was panicked.

And a simple technical difficulty couldn't make that stoic man panic, even for the Vytal Festival.

But as she wanted to voice her concerns, the center platform opened with a mechanical whirl. Yang was the only one who got down in a fighter's stance; the others watched a red-cloaked figure rise up from the darkness. Her back was turned away from Yang, but there was no denying who it was. "Ruby?" Yang gasped. "What are you doing here?"

Ruby must not have heard her sister over the utter chaos as she ran towards the finalist across from Yang, back still turned towards the blonde girl. "Put this on," Yang heard her sister say while she handed over an earpiece. "There's something going on- Ozpin will explain it later."

"Ruby?" Pyrrha exclaimed, surprised at the young girl's appearance. "What-"

"Later," the cloaked girl hissed, going in a clockwise route so she would end with Yang.

"Ruby, is this Farayan's work?" Yang yelled at her sister.

The blonde's words made the redhead on her right stare at her. "Farayan?" Pyrrha echoed. "The girl that kidnapped Ruby?"

"He didn't kidnap me!" Ruby yelled behind her. She was done with the four of the finalists, running from a stunned Penny towards Pyrrha- head still bowed- with the second to last earpiece. "But, yeah. It's probably his doing."

"Ruby," Yang snapped, finally fed up with her sister's lack of a response. "When did Ozpin…" Her demand died in her voice, and the brawler's body went numb as Ruby placed the last earpiece in her sister's palm. Yang locked eyes with the girl, mouth agape at what she saw.

Red pupils.

A wave of outrage rose through the crowd and finalists alike as they witnessed Yang take a swipe at her sister, so close to putting a dent in the small girl's chest as it missed by a hair's length. "Yang, what the hell?" Sun yelled as he readied his own weapon. A combination of blades and barrels were aimed at the hysterical blonde, making Yang pause so Ruby could jump away towards the center. "That's your sister!"

"No, she's not." Two voices said as one. Yang's had a menacing bite to it, growling at the other girl that spoke. And Ruby, she was… happy for whatever reason.

"Sorry, guys," Ruby apologized, spinning around while she pulled a Scroll out from beneath her cloak. "That was the first lie I ever told you all."

And she pressed a button on her device.

The finalists cried out- only four of them, actually. Yang yelped as her "earpiece" fused to her gauntlet, stuck there no matter how much muscle she used to pry it off. And there was no way she was going to disarm herself in His presence. Penny didn't yell in pain, making Yang realize those "robot stories" Ruby kept spouting were true.

The others that had their "earpieces", with the exception of Yang, cursed and whimpered as they tried to tear off the earpieces that clamped down on their ears. "Careful," Ruby warned with a grin. "You'll tear your ear off before the tech."

"Farayan," Yang growled.

The character in the center spun towards her "sister", an innocent smile on her face that made Yang's blood boil. It was an innocent smile that Ash had taken from Ruby without the courtesy of ever giving it back. "Now you say my name right," she jested. "Although, that was my old name. People call me Ash now."

"Who are you?" a finalist demanded. He still winced at the pain coming from his ear, but he could ignore it for a bit while the boy's green eyes bore into Ash.

Almost as if she was offended, Ruby-Ash pouted at the boy. "You don't know me?" she asked, lip quivering. "People kept calling me a terrorist, and you all were fine while they did so." Still, faces of confusion stared back at the girl. Ash sighed, turning around back to Yang. "She knows," the girl said in a bright tone.

Yang readied her gauntlets, snarling at the one that crushed her sister.

Ash sighed again, looking at the crowd that continued murmuring to each other. "None of you remember who I am?" she demanded. With how fast she was spinning, her hood flew up from the wind and landed square over her head. As she stopped, Ash pulled back the hood. And the crowd gasped at the new face under the hood. Wild green eyes, an unruly yet styled cut of pumpkin-orange hair along with the man's face.

"Miss me?" Torchwick's voice boomed through the stadium.

The cloaked figure frowned as the finalists cocked back their weapons, edged along by the screams of terror in the crowd- the Breach left quite a mark in the populous, and Torchwick was the poster-boy of the operation. "Hey, come on," the shapeshifter shot back. "I'm only borrowing this from a friend." Torchwick's face seemed to age backward, cheeks flushing out, as his eyes and hair changed color.

Ash had a poor selection of disguises as he traded out a crime-lord-turned-terrorist for another perceived terrorist. Now, he donned his oldest face. The youngest-looking he had- Farayan's black hair and blue eyes. The outrage of the crowd only grew along with the finalists'. "Is this better?" he asked with an innocent expression.

Naturally, it wasn't better. "Jeez," Ash chided as he shifted back to Ruby's face. "Tough crowd."

"What are you doing here?" Yang demanded, trying to get back on track before Ash's forced confusion consumed them.

Ash snapped her fingers, pulling out a microphone with her other hand. "I'm so glad you asked," she simpered. The girl cleared her throat and raised the mic to her mouth. "Ahem- could I have your attention, please?" she addressed the crowd with a shout. Amplified by the hundreds of speakers, her audience quieted after a minute. Although, that wouldn't last long as Ash continued to speak.

"This is a hostage situation."

The stadium went back to chaos, screaming at the girl for saying the worst thing that she could have ever said. But, on the flip side, one of the finalists laughed. Ears perking at the snort, Ash turned around and found that same finalist that questioned her earlier scoffing at her words. "You can't be serious," he spoke.

"But I am," Ash replied with a tilt of her head. "What's so funny?"

"We're the finalists of the Vytal Festival." The green-eyed boy spread out his lanky arms, gesturing to the others who nodded in agreement. Besides Yang who continued to glare at the girl, too wary of whatever plan she had in store. "You can't possibly expect to hold us hostage."

Oh, what a poor boy. "I already have," Ash said simply, making a show of raising her Scroll and held another button.

Next to the boy, an earpiece beeped. The girl wearing it let out a quick yelp before she collapsed. The arena filled with screams as they watched the redhead topple over while she clutched her chest. "The hell?" the green-eyed boy exclaimed, running over as he pushed the girl face-up. "Hey, you okay?"

No response. The redhead seemed to gasp for air, clutching her stomach as a quick, high-pitched whirl emitted from her. "What did you do?" the boy demanded, shouting as his head whipped around to glare at Ash.

"I stopped her heart," Ash answered. The same manner as if she'd said: "I went for a walk." Her thumb lifted from the button, and the redhead on the floor gasped.

The other finalists were too stunned to move. Ash really had their life in her hands. All but one. "You're bluffing," Yang snapped. "This only works for Penny, doesn't it?"

Ash turned around, grinning. "Why not call, then?" she suggested. "See how much of a heartless girl you are with the other's lives on the line."

And she dared to. Yang marched forward, winding her arms back while the other finalists yelled at the blonde, anxiety lacing their words. The teen was halfway to Ash. A few more steps, then-

Sighing, as if she knew this would happen, Ash's Scroll beeped as the imposter pressed another button. The device embedded on Yang's gauntlet whirled to life. At first, Yang felt nothing. Just concern as she stared at her arm. Then, a blinding pain erupted in her forearm, strong enough to stop Yang in her tracks as she tried to shake the feeling off. A few more seconds, and Yang started to whimper, blasting away at the device to no avail. Truthfully, the blonde's arm was sustaining more damage from the blows than the device.

Yang's bones felt like it was being crushed by her own weapon. Some of the mechanisms must have been activated to collapse her gauntlet back to its passive state- but not all of them. She had this exact thing happen once- when Yang was first designing Ember Celica. Back then, however, the brawler had the luxury of it happening without the gauntlet on her arm, along with the outer plates stripped so modifications could be made easily.

Now? With the wires and gears hidden under sturdy metal, Yang would have to wait a bit longer before her Semblance could allow her to break through the metal covering.

Although, by the time that would happen, her forearm might have snapped under the strain.

A minute of suffering, and Yang was crying out in pain. Even when Ash's finger came off the button to stop her suffering. The girl dropped to her knees, clutching her forearm as if to stop the blood flow. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered Ash walking up to her, arms resting on her knees as the Fake knelt down in front of Yang. "There's no bluff," Ash whispered, but the mic picked up the words. The menacing, quiet promise rang through the arena along with the contestant's whimpers.

"Although..." Ash brushed a hand against her hair, gently pushing back a bit of the golden mane. As fingers tickled her skin, Yang flinched away, making Ash pout. It didn't last long as she smirked, pulling her hand away. "You were right." She pulled the mic away so they could talk in private.

"Penny's little trinket was designed for her. It's nice to know that the smartest minds in Atlas, with all their brilliance, decided that Penny was too undetectable to need a virus protector."

Ash stood up, a smile too feral donned on her innocent face. Ruby's face. "Now," the girl pronounced into the mic, "who else would like to try and fight me?" She looked into the eyes of every competitor, her smile brightening twice while some of them flinched away. "Invincible Girl, how about you?" Ash asked the redhead.

The girl in question refused to look up, struggling to pry the device apart instead of off her ear. As Ash made to admonish her endeavor, a sharp snap rang through the arena. Pyrrha's earpiece fell to the ground in shards. Ash's mouth fell agape, then she laughed in amazement. "Of course, it's the Invincible Girl," she mused.

There was no banter, no demands as to what Ash wanted. Pyrrha ran forward with spear and shield raised. "Hey," Ash snapped as she arched away from the jab of Pyrrha's weapon. "There are still three people I could kill right now, four I could torture."

"And I can end all that here," Pyrrha shot back, still advancing every time Ash danced around her attacks.

Ash sighed while she dodged another swipe. "Why are you so stubborn?" Pyrrha, despite her best efforts, couldn't land a single swipe against someone so dead-set on running away- with Ash's head somewhere in the clouds, no less. Ash looked up in thought, bounding away to put some distance between her and the enraged redhead. "Let's see," she mused. "What was my plan for Pyrrha again?"

"Ah, That's right."

Pyrrha took another stab at the terrorist, making Ash dodge toward the girl's backside. Predicting the movement, she whirled around, arm tucked in slightly so she could spin faster. Pyrrha intended to bash Ash with her shield, almost completing the rotation.

But, when she looked at Ash's new face, Pyrrha jerked her arm back. Her fingers grazed fabric as her attack missed, and Ash took the time to jump back a step as she breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close," the terrorist said in a boy's voice. One that shocked Pyrrha to her core. "I was right about needing a plan for you."

"This-" Pyrrha stammered, spear and shield up in a ready stance. However, her arms shook as she hesitated to charge back in. "Y-you can't be-"

"But I am," Ash sneered, an expression that looked brand new on her copy of Jaune's face. "Ruby might have told you, but I have to be near someone to take their image. Sorry," Ash pouted with Jaune's face, gripping at Pyrrha's heart, "but your little friend has been hanging out with a terrorist for quite a while."

The blood drained from Pyrrha's face. "H-he wouldn't. Jaune would never talk to you, after all you did to Ruby."

Ash laughed without humor. "He hangs out with Ruby, though." A glimmer of amusement shone in Ash's blue eyes as Pyrrha gasped in realization. "Or rather," Ash corrected his words, "Jaune hangs out with who he thinks is Ruby."

"Come on." Ash beckoned her forward, but Pyrrha didn't take the bait. "What's the matter- lose your appetite?" The redhead stood there, trying to convince herself that it wasn't Jaune that she was looking at. But the face was so convincing… "Weak," Ash huffed turning away from her, looking at the other finalists that were sneaking up on him. "And how about you guys?" he boomed. A wide smile spread on his face. "Who wants to know that their friends have been hanging out with a monster?"

They were all unnerved. The Invincible Girl, the most composed and stone-cold victor that her competitors were afraid of, crumbled. Or at least, that's what Ash saw. With his back turned, he didn't see Pyrrha charging forward, spear pointed forward to impale him through the back. An underhanded move, maybe. But Pyrrha had given up the "honor of battle" when she realized she was fighting a Grimm.

Her plan fell apart at the first strike. Pyrrha's weapon grazed Ash's clothes, and that was the extent of her success. One moment he was giving a monologue, the next moment he was a foot to the left with his elbow coming down. Five seconds and Pyrrha Nikos was disarmed and nursing a collapsed windpipe, holding her throat as she hacked and coughed at the ground. A record set, Ash being the first to ever defeat Pyrrha in a "regular" match.

"Sloppy," Ash chastised, a frown too light for how brutally he just incapacitated the girl. Unexpectedly, he turned his head up like he was listening to a voice in his ear. Ash frowned. "She attacked me," he defended himself from an invisible voice. "She was begging for me to do something- be thankful it'll just take a few days instead of months to heal."

The other finalists stopped, eyes wide in shock at their strongest competition broken- mentally then physically. Hearing the sudden lack of running teens, Ash turned back at the four that dared not approach. "What's the matter?" he questioned. None of them moved, and Ash groaned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "You can't be serious," muttered the terrorist. Then, louder to the rest of the stadium, "You're fine with me destroying Pyrrha's morale, but not her throat?" The delusional boy shook his head. "Man, people these days."

Silence met his words as Ash morphed back into his "Ruby" face. He opened his mouth when the speakers piped up with the headmaster's voice. "What do you want?" demanded Ozpin. The Beacon students shuddered under his tone- never did they hear the bite and anger on this level in his voice.

"Ozpin!" Ash cheered, bringing her mic to her mouth. "Are you enjoying the show? Because you sure can't do anything about it- I got someone to lock down the barrier. No one in, and no one out until I say so."

As Ash's words flew out of her mouth, the aforementioned barrier fizzled and sparkled before it settled. The smug smile on her face lifted as a scowl settled in. "Alright, fine," she sighed. "This was the easiest way to call everyone out to listen to me.

"If you could direct your attention at the screens…" Ash asked the crowd, gesturing to the screens hovering around. Another click of the button and three profiles replaced the sevens onscreen. "I have to thank these people for their help," the girl beamed. "Cinder Fall, my employer. The one that was staging everything to take over Vale.

"Adam Taurus, who made sure the most violent White Fang members were in Vale.

"And Mercury Black, who I believe-"

The crowd screeched again as a commotion occurred in the playing field. Ash whirled around, her back no longer turned to the boy whose foot flew overhead, aimed at the spot where Ash's head had been a second ago. From under her cloak, she produced a long, black dagger and stabbed forward.

The attacking boy stumbled before he collapsed, the wind knocked out of him when he hit the floor with a thud. Through the initial shock, he could hear people screaming in horror. Looking down, the gray-haired boy shook his head to clear the bleary vision. And again to clear the shock in his system.

A black knife was buried in his leg.

"Who I believe," Ash started again, voice raised with annoyance that he was interrupted, "is here with me." There was a brief pause as she knelt down, getting down to eye-level with the wide-eyed boy. "How're 'ya doing, Merc?" she quipped.

Mercury's eyes flickered between the audience, Ash, and the mic in her hands. Her hand was placed on the mic's head like she wanted to keep a conversation private. "What are you doing?" Mercury hissed in a low voice. "What about the plan?"

An unreadable glimmer shone in Ash's red eyes, and for an instant, the gray-haired boy flinched when her eyes flickered. From blood red to the yellow pupils lined with red in the same as a Grimm's. Then, the eyes shifted back so fast that Mercury almost thought it was a trick of the light.

"Screw the plan," she chirped with a smile. "You put blind faith in an idiot. Everything else is Cinder's fault. Sorry that you got caught in our little feud."

"But-" Mercury began.

He was shushed by a hand clamping over his mouth. And a fist to the nose. "You can talk about it later," Ash tutted to an unconscious boy. "Right now: let the main event happen." She looked up from Mercury and frowned- the crowd had four fewer people than she would've liked. Three were understandable; Ruby must have known what was about to happen and ran off with her friends.

There was a fourth seat that Ash cared especially about. "Looks like Cinder ran," she said in the mic. By now, the crowd was on their feet and yelling at the terrorist while a tightly knit circle of Huntsmen and Atlas's bots alike surrounded the barrier, ready for it to drop at any moment. Not that it mattered. If everything went well, Ash wouldn't have to worry about any of them.

"Anyway," Ash went on, looking up at the commentator's box like she could stare through the thick glass. Like she could see the furious expression on Ozpin's face. "Can I make my demands again? I gave you names, handed one of them over, and disposed of another."

Over the crowd's calls for Ash's death, Ozpin was heard through gritted teeth and echoing speakers. "If you're still demanding for Roman's release, that's not happening."

"Come on," Ash whined, inserting a second knife into Mercury's other leg. Much to the crowd's displeasure. What was wrong with them, it's not like it was going to hurt him.

Oh, right. They didn't know his legs were prosthetic, a fact that the Farayan in Ash's mind reminded her of. She shrugged- not her problem. "I promise I'll hand over Cinder as well," she went on and ignored the multiple greening faces around her.

"This still doesn't give Roman the right to walk free."

Ash groaned and threw her head back, her aggravation seen all the way from the back of the stadium. "What would Farayan say?" she mused. "Carrot first, then stick?" Directed at the headmaster, Ash offered, "How about this- release Roman, or people start dying. Do we have a deal?"

Instead of waiting for an answer, Ash whipped around, taking aim with a dainty hand. With a click of her Scroll, the finalist in front of her shrieked, already on the floor from a previous torture. Penny curled in a ball, her joints locking and refusing to budge an inch. Even without flesh and bone, her reactions were still realistic to the hundreds of volts surging through her body. After all, androids were more susceptible to electricity- it's just that this one happened to have a soul as well.

"Stop it," Ozpin demanded, making ten-thousand or so spectators jump in their chairs.

"Only I can turn it off," Ash yelled back, turning only her head to shout- over the girl's cries of pain- at the commentator's box. "I'd say her heart- or whatever she has- has about five minutes before it gives out. So, do we have a deal?"

"Farayan, stop it!" Yang exclaimed.

The girl paused, turning to the blonde that stumbled to her feet. "Why?" he asked.

Yang winced, her arm still weak from Ash's little toy. "This isn't you," she stated through gritted teeth.

It took a moment for Ash to process her words, then the Ruby look-alike giggled. "Are you sure?" she asked. "Torturing people, toying with emotions, being a general pain in the ass- this isn't me?"

"I wasn't talking to you," Yang replied. "I was talking to Farayan."

The smile wiped off Ash's face. Like it was a button on her Scroll, the terrorist's mood soured in a second. "Let me be clear. He's-" Ash's sentence stopped abruptly like a golf ball was wedged in her throat. Her finger rose an inch- just an inch. But it was enough for Penny to stop screaming. Instead, the redhead curled into a ball and held back tears and whimpers while the other finalists tried to find the device Ash had given her.

The one that dug into her "skin" and hid next to her mechanical bones.

"Don't touch her!" The teens jumped at Ash's voice, hands flying away from Penny's whimpering figure. Ash's neck craned back, eyes narrowed in concentration as she forced the voice, the one that wanted out, back down. "You remove it, you die," she promised in a low voice.

Satisfied that no one would try and touch Penny any time soon, Ash turned back to the fiery blonde. "Farayan… he knows this is necessary," Ash answered with some difficulty.

Shocked, Yang's eyes went wide. Farayan must have still been fighting, but from how small the effect was, it must have been too much of a battle for him to win alone. "Torturing Penny?" Yang pressed on, "Injuring Pyrrha? I thought you made a promise to Ruby."

"Exactly!" Ash's sudden shout rang out, shocking Yang and those listening. "I promised not to harm Ruby or her team," he stated with a pointed look, glaring at the air as the second voice still tried to fight for control. The presence in his mind was much too weak to go up against a five-hundred-year-old Grimm. "He said nothing about her friends." Ash opened her eyes, gritting her teeth as the corner of her eye twitched.

Well, it was worth a shot. There was no way Farayan could win that alone.

"Shut up," Ash snapped- not at Yang, though. "You knew I had to stop them." Her eyes focused back at the blonde, and Ash shot her a triumphant grin. "Sorry, you were saying?"

This wasn't right. Well, besides the obvious hostage situation. Yang surveyed their surroundings, now lit by the massive stadium lights and not the sun. Black sky pierced by the bright white lights that shone on the arena. Onto Ash's still confident face. "You're up to something," Yang accused. "What do you really want?"

The finalists, the ones still standing, turned to Yang in confusion, one eye from each still glaring at Ash. And the girl in the center of the ring tilted her head, a blank look blanketing her face. Acting like a little girl, the cloaked girl clasped her hands behind her back as she bounced on her heels. "I'm here for Roman," Ash said with a frown.

Yang narrowed her eyes. "What else?"

Even though she was called out, Ash seemed more delighted than annoyed. "Ooh, very good," she cooed with a feral grin. "Maybe next time, you'll see it coming before it happens."

"What-"

Ash had already turned around before Yang could start her question, raising the mic to her lips. "If I can say something before you all try to leave," he spoke to the crowd ushered by the Atlesian bots and Huntsmen. "I should give a small warning."

Her speech was interrupted yet again, this time with an almighty squawk. The entire stadiums' heads jerked up, the citizens in confusion and the Huntsmen in horror. Only one group had the experience and memories of what kind of bird could caw that loud.

A Nevermore- and by the size of it, one of the Majors. Those confused looks from the citizens soon mirrored the shock on the Huntsmen's as screams filled the stadium. The ceiling shook and wobbled as the Nevermore touched down, claws gripping over the edge as it peered inside. A second later, those ushering the crowd aimed up, ready to pelt the beast if it ever dropped- it was still perched above hundreds of spectators that would undoubtedly be crushed if it fell.

All the while the air around the black bird buffeted as it steadied itself, folding its wings in. The Nevermore opened its beak, staring at the people intently, and they screamed and cowered back. But instead of gobbling up a few spectators, the massive bird squawked in surprise as a black object flew at it, bouncing off the barrier and falling harmlessly in the arena.

"No, no, no!" Ash yelled, stomping closer to the Nevermore's perch. "Way too early!" she scolded. And to the audience's surprise, the bird seemed to wilt away from the enraged girl. It was quite a sight- a monster of a crow, unable to make eye contact with a girl a twentieth its size.

Chirp went the Nevermore, preening its feathers. Ash let out an exasperated sigh as she put the mic to her mouth again. "Yeah, that's what I was gonna warn you about," she said with her eyes still on the Grimm.

"We're invading today, so you should probably stay inside."

 **AN: It's the beginning of the end.**


End file.
